Kingdom Hearts: Rewind
by NocturnalSin666
Summary: What is Sora, former Keyblade master to do, when in a last act of defiance to Xehanort throws a meteor into his face. Only to realize his act had thrown him into the past, to the very moment he was born. What is he to do now, especially since his childhood friend is now a girl and his knowledge of what the future would be? To do what he did best of course! Powerful Sora Small Harem
1. The Beginning

**This is my second idea I gained when playing Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix and thinking about my old memories of the game. It was a huge part of my life as a kid, it's all I ever cared about as a kid so with KH III in development and KH 2.5 about to be released in december I decided to unleash this idea.**

**Now there will be a few changes, Sora will be mature beyond his years and that is self-explanatory in this prologue, but he will still be himself. He will just not be as naïve and leave it at that. There will be romance, but I won't go into detail, but there will be more than just one. Also Riku is a girl in this, while I respect the friendship Sora has between Riku I found if he was a female it would have made the KH story far more interesting.**

**Kairi for the Light, Riku for the darkness and Sora stuck in-between :3**

**I am also going to be pushing the boundaries between mortals and supernatural, you'll see what I mean.**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Kingdom Hearts for that wonderful masterpiece belongs to the genius Testuya Nomura nor do I own other manga or anime references used in this story. I only own the plot.

**With that said enjoy the story and give me all your nice long reviews and criticisms, but flamers shall be ignored. Also if you don't like the idea of a female Riku than don't read this story.**

* * *

"_Light and Darkness, two opposing sides that seek to clash endlessly. As a kid I thought the darkness was scary, as a teen I fought against it never truly knowing. And as an adult I embraced it. There is no good or evil between Light and Darkness, it's what you do with those powers that will ultimately define you." **~Sora**_

**Kingdom Hearts: Rewind**

**Prologue: The Beginning**

_''So, how does it feel boy? To have everything you have ever loved, cherished, brought to ruin? To see all of your oh so precious friends demolished before the might of my forces? Do you feel the weight of your failures crashing down all around you?'' the voice of a man spoke out amongst a barren and scarred wasteland. Void of any wildlife or forestry, only the sound of turbulent winds and the roar of a storm was all that was present in this land. However there was something unique about this place, this desolate vale that held no life whatsoever._

_For stabbed into the ground was literal fields of hundreds upon thousands of keyblades each varying in design and structure. There were craters, some old and some new, mountains were left broken and shattered. Some completely wiped off the face of the planet._

_The man was cloaked in shadow his appearance seemed hazy, as was the world around him. He was addressing a man kneeling on the ground trying, in vain, to stand up even as the rest of his friends and allies were lying in a pool of their blood, dead or dying. He too was hazy as the scene played out without interference._

_''Silent? Hmph no matter, this battle is my win, you were the biggest threat to my plans, the most you know, your friends and that foolish King were a minor distraction, if that. It was you however that I wanted out of my way the most and I admit you amused me greatly with your constant struggling and yet you disappointed me the most. You held so much potential and yet...Yen Sid got to you before I did, a pity.'' he commented lightly, as if killing his friends and allies didn't even matter to him, and it didn't. He simply raised his hand and willed his keyblade to come forth which is did in a display of tendrils of darkness and purple lightning._

_He poised it at the kneeling mans head, ready to relieve him of his head from his shoulder in one fell swoop. ''Now I am not a completely ruthless man so I must ask, do you have any last words before I end you, keyblade bearer?'' _

_The kneeling man gripped onto the ground, his fingers digging into the dirt before he found the last inner strength within him. He punched the ground with renewed vigor causing it crack before he rose his head up and stared defiantly into the face of the one whom had murdered all his friends and spit in his face._

_''….Yeah...I'll see you in hell.'' he said as blood began to run out from his mouth, his sharp and dead sapphire blue eyes glared murderously at the man and the rest. Yet the mass magical energy build up in his right hand was seen causing the man who had his weapon at his neck jump in shock._

_''You fool...be glad your death will lead to the balance!'' he said just as he attacked ready to sever the man's head from his shoulders, but it was far too late as the last spell the man charged was let lose with a single command from it's user. He only said one word as he crushed it the spell in his hand._

_**''Meteor...''**_

_Than all things went oblivion with a bright destructive white light..._

**OwO**

Slowly a pair of sapphire blue eyes drifted open, they stay open just staring up at the ceiling with a glazed look before the one with those eyes released a heavy sigh. ''That dream again..." the boy said with no little amount of contempt in his voice. Soon he blinked a few times so he could adjust to waking up from his slumber. He sat up and looked at his alarm clock and shook his head when he was it was only 4:25 A.M.

''Oh well, early start on my routine I guess.'' he said before he pulled himself out of bed. The bright rays of the rising sun peaked out from his curtains revealing the young man who was fourteen years old. He had a tanned complexion and had a lithe yet muscular physique that was fit for a swimmer. He had long spiky dark brown hair that spiked up in different directions while it just barely passed his neck line, along with it he had bangs nearly covering his eyes and two longer ones framing the sides of his face. He was a bit above the average height of a fourteen year old standing a good 5'6, but this could be accounted to his unique diet and training regime.

Being careful so he didn't wake up his parents, the boy got his clothes and took a quick shower. Quietly he left a note for his parents so they didn't worry and left.

For the moment the boy took in the scenery of his hometown, it was a gathering of small islands closely knit together creating a medium sized community that knew each other. The sun was barely breaking over the ocean and it's rays of light was coming over his town and he breathed in the scent of the air. A mix of sea salt and the fresh wind of nature made him less tense if ever so slightly. It was all he had to keep his mind off the nightmares that plagued him every waking moment these days.

He took a brief check of himself before he left, he wore large yellow shoes, a white and black overjacket as well as a red jumpsuit and a pair of white with yellow gloves while he had his long crown necklace dangling from his neck and his crown chain from his pocket. Making sure his gloves were tight and his blue belt was fastened. He picked up a bag of supplies and slung it over his shoulder and set off in the direction of large volcano at the very far back of his town.

_'Riku and Kairi won't be up for another 2 to 3 hours, probably to sleep in since it's the beginning of our summer vacation. That'll give me plenty of time to do some training without prying eyes.'_ the boy thought as he made his way to the volcano. It was a mildly active one that only erupted every 100 years, if the history books were correct. So rarely anyone ever went near the volcano in fear of being caught by it's intense heat or falling into the volcano.

But he'd faced far worse than a simple volcano, facing enemies that could bend or break the very laws of reality and bend the universal laws of creation and destruction at their will. Enemies that could destroy worlds, swarm them in darkness with a flick of their hands. All of that made training in a volcano seem very tame in comparison.

Yes, that's right, _inside_ the volcano.

The young man expertly made his way through the town careful of the early birds that woke up to get ready for their jobs. He didn't need anyone knowing of his training, he'd kept this up for years and wouldn't let anyone get in the way of it now. He'd kept his two best friends in the dark because god knows if they found out. Riku would probably tear him a new one and Kairi would probably help her for doing something so dangerous.

But they didn't understand, no one could possibly understand why he went to such lengths. No one could comprehend why he pushed his body above and beyond its limits. They had no idea what was coming, he'd seen it and he could not allow what had happened in the future come to pass again. It's why he trained himself down to his bare bones. Taking self defense classes when he was just able to walk and from there training himself in secret to hone his abilities. He pushed himself to the brink of passing out numerous times which luckily no one was around at those times to see it happen.

He pushed past the forestry and started hiking up the volcano, but since he woke up in this situation he took every chance he got to train himself. Which was why he was currently only climbing up the volcano with one arm tied behind his back and his feet tied together with a medium sized boulder weighing him down.

Insane? Yes. Suicidal? Most definitely. Effective? _Incredibly so._

Combining the increasing heat of the volcano as he got closer with the strain of climbing the volcano with his limited physical strength and the boulder weighing him down made this deathly difficult. But a tempered inferno of deep resolve blazed in this boys eyes as he climbed without complaint. Sweat poured from his body as the temperature increased, his muscles were screaming as they were torn from the extreme strain placed upon them. Yet, they were miraculously healing at the same rate with a small regen spell.

Now you may be thinking who this strange and questionably insane 14 year old boy was, well his name is Sora. A abnormal boy who seemed like a decent enough person on the outside, kind and generous to everyone in his world and to everyone he meets. However beneath this exterior was something far more worn and hardened by the flames of War. The mentality of a _man_ who had braved the harsh realities of a future that scarred him deeply yet he intended that future never came to pass again.

In truth, this was Sora with the mentality of the Keyblade Master Sora who had in a future that was long gone, fought alongside his friends, Riku and Kairi and the others to face the threat of Xehanort and his cohorts. Fought a battle that shook the worlds and yet ultimately were defeated and was forced too watch in despair as all of his friends and allies were cut down like cattle. It scarred the once young innocent and bright young man. And his last farewell before he was "killed" in that battle was slamming a meteor in Xehanort's face.

Which somehow or someway the explosion had been so great it threw Sora all the way back in time when he was born. So, it had all been a very very _weird_ first few years for him to adjust that he was actually back in time. And the possibilities of being back in time soon followed making him realize all that he could change or stop from ever happening. It's why he went to training himself so early, it's currently why he was pushing himself like he was.

''Thank god for being young, I don't ever wanna grow old.'' Sora commented as he pulled himself up with some strength to push him up further to catch onto another ledge. There was some irony in that and he knew it, but didn't think about it. He stayed focused at the task and hand and harnessed his strength to pull himself up further. Soon enough he came to the very top of the volcano and let out a sigh of relief before he climbed the rest of the way up.

Pulling himself up to be on the edge of the volcano Sora cut away his bindings with a knife and let the boulder roll back down where it came from. He wasn't of losing it because there was plenty of them he could break out from the nearby mountains. Freeing his arm and legs, the boy stood up for a moment to take in the scenery of his world with a almost serene expression. Calm, as could be which hid the anxiety and tension in him. He could see his town, everyone beginning to wake up from the small dots of them coming out of their houses and beginning their daily rituals of opening up stores and getting businesses ready.

He could see the mayor's house which was by extension Kairi's since the mayor took her in when she came here from Radiant Garden. He could also see Riku's house be right across from his and let out a small smile cross his face.

''This time, I will make sure to protect you both, although you aren't the Riku I knew, you are still my best friend regardless.'' with that stated he turned toward the volcano and looked down to see the red glow of boiling magma and the flesh melting steam from within. Closing his eyes he reached out with his hand and willed his keyblade to appear. The Kingdom Key appeared in a flash of light and gripping it with his right hand he raised his left hand and channeled his power and began to infuse it on the exterior of his body, specifically his skin.

His body gave a light gray outline before it vanished, but he could feel the affects of it and without a second of hesitation tipped forward and plunged straight into the volcano.

_'Training in the most harshest of conditions are what makes the greatest of warrior's, putting myself in a situation of environmental hazards that could kill you at a moments notice. To train in this environment will ultimately hone your sense's, your speed, your strength, reflexes and flexibility.'_ Sora thought to himself, it was a similar training method to one of one's Yen Sid had proposed to him, but he took it too the next level. He had to take the extreme's back than to try and fight those threats that loomed over the worlds.

Yet at that time he didn't have enough of said time, the battle was mere days away and he didn't have anywhere near enough to get any actual results from it. But when he woke up to find himself in this time he had taken this chance to get stronger. So this time he'd been doing it since he was 10 year's old and the results were..._astronomical._

He developed a technique, specifically for this training method, that allowed him to infuse his skin with his power over both light and darkness to create a invisible layer that infused itself into his skin. It protected him against the most deadly of dangers or hazards and it gave the benefit over using it overtime would increase his skin and bodies natural durability. At 10 he had to use a lot of magical power to fuel the spell, but the benefit of using it over time while training in this volcano had increase his bodies durability to such a level that he barely needed it now, if only as a precaution really.

And so he plunged, free falling into the giant pit of magma without any fear in his eyes. As he came down he whipped out his keyblade and sliced apart fiery rocks and lava spews before he plunged head first into the lava as if it were water. He kept plunging deeper and deeper before he officially reached the magma chamber.

In his time, his Riku always did call him absolutely insane and perhaps he was. But if he survive falling from a planetary drop and come down headfirst into a treehouse, in the world of Tarzan and Jane. So he was only using his already monstrous durability and pushing it past it's limits. Riku called that insane, which was backed by many of his other friends.

But Sora saw it as a means to an end, to surpass limits that the mortal body couldn't even dream of. Limits that needed to be broken to fight the threat that destroyed him and his friends in that not so distant future. So, call him insane if you want, but he would do this again and again so he could be ready this time to face that threat.

**3 Hour's Later**

''Where have you been, Sora?!'' a small boy that seemed to be around the age of 10 spoke to Sora, who was just reaching the dock to the little Island he, and his friends had as their little home away from home. The boy had a tanned complexion with bright blue eyes and spiky sandy blond hair. He wore simple clothing consisting of a small short sleeved shirt with white sleeves, yellow hems, yellow center and white lining around the center which was open. He wore navy blue pants with uneven leggings while he just wore simple sandals.

Sora just chuckled before he pat the young boy on the head, he didn't look any different from before, it was just his timely arrival that irritated the boy it seemed. ''Sorry Tidus, I was caught up with something important, now what's going on? Where is Selphie or Wakka?'' he asked the boy, named Tidus, and he just grumbled. Sora liked the kid in his first life, he was a good sparring partner especially when fighting against him, Selphie and Wakka at once. Simple spars that held real no meaning than a competitive streak and didn't mean life or death.

In this life he took to giving more attention to the kid, he was like a little brother in some ways and helped him out on a few points when fighting. Pointing out a few mistakes in his fighting and corrected them and let him go from there.

''Wakka is trying to find a way to improve his throws with his ball and last I saw Selphie she was staring out at the ocean at the watch.'' he said making Sora nod, that girl did like to stare out at the ocean a lot. But than Tidus became erratic again, ''B-but that's not important right now, Kairi and Riku have been looking everywhere for you and they looked pretty mad!'' he admitted with a terrified expression.

At that, Sora paled considerably, although he'd faced dangerous enemies that ultimately stood on the level of a God. Nothing could quite prepare him for the anger of either Kairi or Riku, especially the Riku he had come to acknowledge in this timeline. One being angry was enough to put him on edge, but when they were _both_ angry only spelled disaster.

And apparently they were mad at him...

Shit!

Rubbing his forehead with a sigh Sora nodded, ''Alright, I'll go to them thanks for telling me Tidus, now go practice those moves I showed you, and maybe later I'll spar with you, that sound okay?'' he got an exuberant nod from the young boy who quickly ran off to practice while Sora set off to find his two friends. In hopes to ease their tempers and find out exactly why they were angry with him. He couldn't figure out the reason, yet he had this nagging feeling in the back of his head that he was forgetting something very important.

He would only realize what it was when he got to the back side of the island and found out just what it was.

**OwO**

''You completely forgot, didn't you?'' spoke the voice of Riku, his childhood friend for years. However, it wasn't the same Riku that Sora knew from his future who had been a _boy_, the one he held a brotherly/rivalry relationship with. Oh no, it seemed being sent back in time had it's consequences and this was one of those consequences.

Because the Riku he was looking at was a _girl_, albeit he hadn't found out until he was 6. Still it was a little weird at first to see his old friend as a girl and weirder still how much it changed things, for instance, and he was very hesitant to admit but. This Riku seemed much more _natural_ as he appraised her for a moment, taking in her appearance for a split second which he hid by scratching the back of his head in a sheepish chuckle.

This Riku, unlike the one he knew before, was about 5,4 so she was up to his shoulders. She had a lithe frame which showed her growing into a mature young woman yet it was very deceptive of her true strength. She had a fair skin tone with long slightly spiky silver hair that reached to her shoulder-blades while long bangs fell around her bright blue-green eyes which were staring at him with a look of annoyance and a tad bit of disappointment. She was dressed similar to how he remembered the Riku he first knew with a tight yellow and black sleeveless shirt which had two black straps crossing into an x over her sizable bust. Below this she wore dark blue baggy pants that were tied at her calves with black straps creating a balloon effect with her upper leggings while she wore white and blue shoes. She also had wristless black gloves, currently she stood with her arms crossed as she stared at Sora with a look of that said she was annoyed with him.

Sora just let out a sigh as he looked from Riku to Kairi who wasn't nearly as angry with him as Riku was, but she seemed a bit put off with him. From the troubled expression on her face it was evident she was a bit peeved with him, and yet Sora was thanking whatever god that had mercy on him that Kairi still stayed the same when he awoke in this timeline. She was the same as he remembered her in his old past, same short red hair and innocent blue eyes that hadn't seen the horrors and the bloody genocides brought forth in the future.

It was the same girl he cared for...and the same girl he had held in her dying moments in a future that was long gone.

When he first saw her again in this time he had spent his time alone trying to ease his raging emotions from blowing up. Seeing her again had been a huge impact on him since he had lost her at the very beginning of the battle with Xehanort since she sacrificed herself for a hit from behind that was aimed at him. That had probably the beginning of the end since that had been the moment he...

_'The moment I lost myself in my rage and plunged myself in darkness was when I lost her...it was that moment I tore Xehanort's minions apart with my own two hands.' he thought that with a_ mental scowl. Quickly he shook those thoughts away, it hurt him still, but he was in the past now. He would stop that from ever happening, same with Riku he would ensure this time he no _she_ didn't protecting him.

''Hahaha~ Sorry guys I'm just having trouble remembering stuff these days.'' it wasn't a total lie, he was so preoccupied with training since he was young that he never did think of much of anything else. Besides building up his relationships with Kairi and Riku all over again, that is.

At this Riku an emotion of concern flashed over her eyes before it went away as she shook her head. ''Whatever, if I need to remind you this was the day we decided to start building our raft, remember?'' she said adding emphasis on it as she leaned toward him with a hardened expression. The sudden invasion of his personal space caused him to lean back a bit and he could have swore he saw Riku give the worlds smallest smirk before it went away. Realization suddenly flashed in Sora's eyes as well as a sense of apprehension as he just realized what Riku was saying.

She was _right_, this was the exact time, same day and same location when they had actually began to construct the raft which would help them reach other worlds. He'd simply forgotten or maybe he simply repressed the thought because he knew it was than that everything started, how his journey started with Donald and Goofy in their search for King Mickey and his to find Kairi and Riku.

The day he had been training for...

Quickly he masked his shock with an uneasy smile which Riku and Kairi noticed a mile away, they couldn't call themselves Sora's closest and oldest friends without catching up on his body language and mannerisms.

''Ah right! Sorry about that, is there anyway to make up for being late?'' he said, he was mad at himself for forgetting this since it was a very important day to Kairi and especially to Riku. Although he now dreaded it this time around he still wanted to keep Riku and Kairi happy for as long as he could until it came time for him to act. He wanted to spend what time he had left with his two friends before they were ultimately separated again by that event.

At this both Riku and Kairi glanced at one another before Kairi gained a surprisingly sly smirk and Riku seemed to smile...and suddenly Sora felt very troubled.

''Oh I think we have something in mind.'' Kairi said with a giggle causing Sora to sweat nervously.

**OwO**

_'This wasn't so bad, I thought for sure they would put me into something really embarrassing.'_ Sora thought with a smile as he was seated with both Riku and Kairi on the small little island that reached forward from the main one. He sat on the palm tree with both Riku and Kairi beside him. Both girls actually wanted something very humble for him, and that was for him to spend the rest of the day with them and not have to leave for something he forgot at the house or something. When it was just a blatant excuse to go train.

And Sora felt like such an _asshole_ for realizing that they wanted him to be around more which was why he did as asked and beyond. He'd gotten the heavier supplies needed for the raft, the logs and a few rolls of rope while he helped them gather the other supplies such as the cloth for the sail and food and clean fresh water. He'd proposed to start making the raft tomorrow and rest up for today which was why the three were on the palm tree just staring out at the sunset.

Sora looked at his two friends and sure enough he saw that Kairi was beat, leaning on his shoulder to keep herself from falling. She was exhausted that much was evident, but the serene expression on her face was all Sora needed. Than he looked to Riku who was staring out at the sunset with a contemplating yet cool expression. Even as a girl Riku seemed to always be that type of person it seemed.

Turning his gaze back out at the sunset he tilted his head forward missing the way Riku glanced toward him, as he narrowed his eyes beneath the shadows of his bangs. His thoughts going toward his carefully laid out plans for when that coming day arrives.

_'Soon, the coming day will arrive and when it does...I need to be prepared, there is much for me to accomplish this time. And the first thing I must do before all else... is to find you again.'_ he thought, thinking about the one who he had swore to rescue with all his being. He did it before and would do it again and this time he'd make sure she didn't go through anymore pain.

_Never. Again._

Soon enough it was time to go, but just as Sora was following after Kairi he heard Riku speak up, ''Hey Sora!''

''Yeah wha-oof!'' he grunted when suddenly Riku ran up to him and suddenly she wrapped her arm around his back so he stayed close. Her eyes was staring deep into his own, her orbs seemed to hold an emotion that Sora had never seen before in his friend, and it was... _concern._ Worry was deeply etched into her face as she quietly pushed something into his hands with her left hand before leaning into the crook of his shoulder.

''….There is something about you that you keep secret, even from me. I don't know what it is or why you do it, but...I worry for you, Sora. Even as kids you were so secretive around me but lately you've been becoming more...detached, and _I don't like it_. You have your secret's, but just promise me that you won't let those secrets get in the way of our friendship. _Please_.'' she practically begged him from the tone in her voice. And without another word she let go of him, seemingly hesitant to do so and walked away leaving the very shocked Sora behind with the object she left with him in his hands.

His eyes were wide at first and his cheeks had flushed a tad from the close proximity and Riku's surprising... move. Yet her words quickly pushed all that down and he quietly looked down at what she left him and his eyes became shadowed by the dark brown fringes of his hair. For in his hands was a paopu fruit. The symbolic fruit that had carried with him throughout his journey.

_''If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain apart of each others life, no matter what."_ the words of his old friend, Riku, from the alternate future told him when they were kids. He held the fruit in hand as he reflected on the words this Riku he had in his life spoke.

And slowly a single tear from his face as he quietly dropped the fruit as he came to the solemn decision on Riku's words.

_'That...is something I cannot promise, Riku. For my secrets...my secrets could potentially destroy us, destroy our life's, all that we know as reality. I would rather die and than let those secrets be known for they could and will harm you, Kairi, Aqua, Donald and Goofy and everyone else.'_ Sora thought to himself with a solemn expression.

He never noticed Riku watching him from the door to the Seaside shack before turning away with a pained look coming across her face. Worry was deeply etched into her very being for her childhood friend, she only hoped she could get him to open up more and trust her more. Whatever he had to hide couldn't be THAT dangerous.

Right?

Alas she nor Kairi will be prepared for what was to come in the coming days, and Riku would get her wish... only in a way she never would have imagined.

The Guardian of the Worlds, the Leader that was Sora who had felled Gods, slain titans, saved worlds from the Heartless and Nobodies...The one who had brought an end to the Second Keyblade War.

Was about to unleash himself upon the worlds again and this time he was ready for whatever was to come. For his loved ones and friends he has and will have in the future.

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**And that's it for the prologue, I know it's a weird spin on it, but I have yet to see it be done before and I thought it would be interest so what the hell I gave it a shot. Plus the inspiration on this was backed by years of loving this game to the point of obsession.**

**Probably still am obsessed with it O.o**

**I didn't have enough room up top so I'll say it here, I am making Sora powerful, but not without his faults. A completely godlike character is not what I am aiming for be assured of that. Just one I feel can be competent enough to face the threats ahead of him.**

**Also I find a FemRiku to be crazy awesome so the pairing as of now will be Sora x Riku x Kairi. I may add more to it later, but it will not be beyond 5 girls max. I also have a picture of female Riku on my profile if you want a better description.**


	2. Sora's Resolve

**Ehm...please don't kill me for my lateness. Anyway, I've recently picked up my copy of Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX so I'll be jumping into that after this chaps over and done with. Length is what it is because I'll probably be sucked into the wonderful world of KH again ^^.**

_Section Divider:_** OwO**

**Now enjoy!**

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"_You...you are no child...**What are you?**" ~?_

**Kingdom Hearts: Rewind**

Chapter 1: Sora's Resolve

Sora had to wonder why the strong feeling of nostalgia began to surge up within his skull as he swam through the ocean around the islands, of the home that was away from home in a sense. He wasn't sure at first what was causing it because he had plenty of theories as to why. Maybe it was because just being back home, in his world that was in this state, was causing it. Because back when he had first attained the rank of Master, his home had been the first of many worlds that were ransacked by Xehanort and his followers. Back then he had lost his home, his parents and Tidus, Selphie and Wakka to the destruction. He often had dreams of seeing it restored back to it's normal appearance.

So seeing it like this always did cause some amount of nostalgia for him, but it wasn't the reason for this huge urge.

Maybe it was the fact that he was swimming around the island collecting fish for the eventual trip on the raft that he, Riku and Kairi were building so they could reach other worlds. Even though he knew it was foolhardy, the thinking of a child that a simple poorly built raft could make galactic travel. It would easily be destroyed in a manner of minutes of attempting it, but yet it was the thought that counted.

The first time, just the thought of seeing other worlds with Kairi and Riku on the raft had been so great that they never thought of the consequences, if the raft could even make such an attempt. Just leaving this world and too explore others, to escape this small chain of islands surrounded by water so they could explore other worlds. It's why then and now they built the raft with that thought in mind. To have adventures with your friends was something he found to be immeasurable in value, to create unforgettable memories and making friends along the way.

But than Sora's face broke into a frown as he caught the last of the fish and sealed it into a bottle. _'But that dream was ruined the very night before we were to set sail, Xehanort unleashed the heartless upon our world.'_ the thought of that man made Sora's blood boil, and beneath the fringes of his hair his blue eyes hardened. His could feel it, his anger was coming back, he could feel his hatred for the one who destroyed everything in his future was bubbling back up from just thinking of him.

He'd suppressed his hate ever since he was thrown back into the past, did everything remotely imaginable to soothe his anger, but nothing short of meditation seemed to resolve his anger. Though his fury was justified, he couldn't allow it to escape him, because if it did so his hatred would lash out. Due to years of training in both the realm of Light and Darkness, he'd overcome the influence both had on him

That is when he had control over his own emotions, but when that calmness was broken his control would slip and...and...

For a moment Sora's stopped as his eyes blanked out, the islands and the ocean zoomed out of existence and in a flash the memories he suppressed came back.

_It was coming back to him, the scene of carnage, the day he lost what was left of himself. Kairi's cold dead corpse in his arms, Riku impaled by multiple keyblades and the rest of his friends getting cut down like cattle. Their blood spilling upon the soil and mixing in with the mud. Blood soaked his chest as he held Kairi in his arms, even though the life had left her, he refused to let go. His body just wouldn't let her go, not after everything they had been through, undergone to get to this point._

_And he felt it come, his emotional and mental stability shattered like fragile glass. His last bond that kept him sane was destroyed, ice cold fury flooded his veins and pure unfiltered darkness erupted from his body. His scream tore through the stratosphere, a hurricane of ebony engulfed the world and amongst the madness a pair of sinister gold eyes pierced the veil of blackness that swept across the planet._

_'Stop! Calm down Sora! Banish it...banish it all from your mind.'_ taking a breathe, he followed the advice of his consciousness. Letting his mind reach a state of calm he let his magical power wash over his mind and soul. This had been a technique taught to him by Aerith during the war. It was a sort of spell that was self-cast on the mind to block out things you'd rather not remember. A protective mental barrier, a fortitude spell of sorts that blocked away memories that were far too unpleasant to remember. It was a good spell so the nightmares of the war didn't affect him when on and off the battlefield.

Internally thanking Aerith, he felt the calmness return as those memories were thrown back down into the depths of his mind. Giving an internal sigh of relief Sora came back up from the water.

Only to feel someone tapping him on the forehead.

''Hey Sora, you okay?'' and as if a light switch was flipped the coldness in his veins melted away at the sound of the voice he knew so well. Warmth returned to his broken heart and his scarred soul swelled up in joy.

Opening his eyes, Sora was welcomed to the sight of Kairi's round innocent blue eyes staring up at him with concern. Just seeing her face made a genuine smile stretch across his face, not the usual smiles he gave his friends, but a true heartfelt smile. This surprised Kairi, understandably so too because in all her years of knowing Sora as kids she'd never seen him smile like _that_ before. It just felt so much more _natural _compared to his other smiles.

_'Why is he smiling like that?'_ the young redhead thought too herself, but Sora's next action left her even more surprised. He gave a chuckle, as if he found something only he was privy to amusing before he stared into her eyes. Raising his hand he pat her on the head and tilted his head to look at her.

''It's nothing Kairi, just surprised at how much more pretty you've gotten since we were kids is all.'' he said earnestly, he was honest about it, and it did what needed to do to deflect her concern.

Now let it be known, Sora did not have any sort of tact when it came to the opposite sex. If he was gonna say something he would damn well say it with brutal honesty. His friends had told this to him many times and for reasons still unknown to him a number of girls he'd met across his travels never looked him in the eye at times when he'd been honest about them. It confused him and still did, but Old man Cid just shook his head at one time and just told him flat out that he was an oblivious idiot.

_Oh..._

Blood rushed to Kairi's face making it turn a darker shade than her own hair if that was even possible and she could only look down, shyly avoiding Sora's gaze. Suddenly the sea shells buried in the sand beneath them looked very interesting. But the hammering of her heart and uncomfortable tightening of her chest made her nearly fall right then and there.

''W-what do you m-mean by that?'' she stuttered out a response, cursing herself for stuttering in the first place. Desperately she tried and failed horribly to suppress her blush as Sora just smiled some more before he took his hand off her head.

''Oh nothing, don't worry about it.'' he says before he handed her the jar full of fish. ''Anyway here's the fish I gathered, this should be a good source of food for us when we set sail.'' he said and he noted the slight disappointment in her eyes, but couldn't find any explicable reason as to why that was. Nonetheless she took the jar from and after making sure the lid was put on tight she turned to look him at him, though it seemed to be incredibly hard for her to look him in the eye after that moment.

''This is great! Now we just some coconut's and we'll be ready to put the finishing touches on the raft, if we're lucky we can set sail in a couple of days from now.'' she said, the words however made a sudden chill go down the time traveler's spine. For he knew the day they set sail, their life's would forever be changed. He knew what was coming and he'd be prepared to face the coming destruction, but as his eyes rested on Kairi he felt a feeling of doubt settle in.

_'But she and Riku don't know what's coming...'_

Although he had an inkling feeling Riku had suspicions of her own, due to being incredibly passionate about seeing other worlds. He knew that she had no idea what was coming and like the Riku he knew before, she would eventually be in over her head and steep herself in the darkness. Manipulated by Maleficent from the get go, words filled with promise of power and of saving Kairi and trying to find him too. And then there was Kairi, One of the Seven Princesses of Heart, the one who hadn't been put into the battle of Light and Darkness until much later. She knew next to nothing about how to fight in his original timeline and was usually the referee between his and Riku's battle's and fights.

Understandably he was worried about his two friends, but unlike in his first timeline where he had no knowledge of what was to come. He did this time and had taken precautions for the past few years, to help prepare them for what was to come. Subtle, very subtle changes, but enough so that they would make a world of difference in the long run.

''Say Kairi, how about I go collect the coconuts and you go get Riku and meet me by the usual spot. I think we need to catch up some sparring, don't you think?'' he said and he suppressed a chuckle when he saw the change in Kairi's eyes. It was instant and so very subtle, but he saw it. The redhead's miffed look in her eyes quickly dissolved and in it's place game a glow of excitement that Sora knew all too well.

It was the very same look he himself once had when he and Riku fought in his own separate timeline.

''Oh! Sure! We'll meet you at the usual spot, and you better bring your A-game, buster!'' she said, poking him in the chest, but he could only stare at her before a big grin took over his face.

''Shouldn't I be telling you and Riku that?''

Wrong thing to say.

Narrowing her blue eyes, Kairi stuck her nose up in the air and stomped off while the time traveler only chuckled at the redheads reaction. He knew that always got to her and in the end fired her up to push herself more than she already was.

This was the precaution he had planned, he took to sparring with Riku and Kairi in physical combat. He did it in a subtle manner, pitting against this Riku's sense of challenge and Kairi's sense of bettering herself. He took to sparring with them after a month or two when Kairi first came to Destiny Islands. Small things at first since he didn't want to push their young bodies too much, but enough to build up their speed, strength, endurance. Taking a game of tag to new heights than some kids game, turning hide and seek into an exercise that worked their 5 senses. The two girls eventually started to join him in martial arts class at their local dojo which came as a surprise to him, but not an unwelcome one.

Of course he'd always kept his _real_ life threatening training to only himself, but that was besides the point.

This plan showed very good results as he could confidently say Riku and Kairi were much stronger and more prone to combat than they were in his own timeline. And that's not considering how they were when they sparred with their practice wooden swords. He didn't know when it happened, but when they began sparring with those little wooden swords a rivalry was made between Riku and Kairi which was set entirely against him.

Reason being? They _never won _a single spar against him.

That had the desired effect of pushing the two young girls past their limis everytime, to better themselves in hoping to match him. It was a good in a sense since they were working together to make themselves better. But it was also bittersweet in a way because no matter how much they trained, the gap between himself and the two girls in pure skill and experience was far to wide. Their optimism was almost radiant in a way, but in all honesty real true warfare had tempered and changed him in ways that also affected his combat and experience.

War did that to people, it changed them, right down to their very core.

_'Still, their a lot stronger then the Kairi and Riku I knew in my old timeline. They'll be more prepared for what's come. But a final spar will be good to gauge their abilities from a base line point of view.'_ with that thought in mind Sora let out a grin before making his to collect the rest of the coconuts.

It wouldn't do to have Kairi on his ass if he slacked off getting the last item for the 'adventure'.

**OwO**

Shoulder-length silver hair billowed in the sea breeze that blew past the face of a young girl with bright blue-green eyes. Those eyes, intense in their own way, which stared out at the far reaching ocean that seemed to span on endlessly belonged to none other than a 15 year old Riku. The young teenager could be seen, sitting alone amongst a gather of palm tree's. Her legs dangling from the high tree tops as she let out an exhale of what seemed like frustration.

''So just a few more days, till we set sail.''

Many of her generation labeled her as a girl of a few words and when she did speak it was with cool indifference to anyone that was not her friends. Even than her only true friends that she openly talked with were both Kairi and Sora. Kairi because they had become fast friends since she first came to Destiny Islands. They hit it off due to Kairi's nature, for the first week or so she was shy and a stuttering mess. But after spending time with her and Sora she broke out of shell and showed herself to be an overly kind girl with a strong nature to always care for her friends, although she was headstrong and could be tempermental if you insulted her friends in any manner.

She'd seen what happened when someone stupid enough did that...and Riku actually shuddered at the memory.

But that's what made her and Kairi stick in a sense, Kairi was protective of her friends just like her and determined to see any challenge through to the end, again just like her. But when she got angry, she went off like a firecracker while she on the other hand would merely stare down anyone stupid enough to gain her ire and soundly reduce them into a bloody pulp.

Kairi was Fire as Riku was Ice, at least that's how she saw it and one would think with that analogy they'd be opposites in every manner with friendship being a nonexistent factor. But that wasn't true. Yes, they had a rivalry, but a friendly competitive one with Sora who acknowledged the rivalry they had with him as something akin to amusement.

But then...came Sora...

Sora was...different from everyone else. Ever since he was a child, he had always been different from other kids his age. Sure, he liked to play like any other child, but it's the way he acted around everyone. He never talked much and spent most of his time doing anything that revolved around extreme physical activity. It came to a surprise to her when he was put into the Martial Arts dojo at his constant pestering to his parents.

He became close to her due to their parents having been friends since Academy days. They grew up together and it allowed Riku to view Sora and his growth from a perspective that was curious, if not borderline obsessed with why he went to such lengths to push himself. Now one would think all this time would have allowed her to come with idea's as to why Sora acted that way. But it was the exact opposite, he only became a bigger mystery as the years passed.

The way he pushed himself, exercising his limits past their breaking point. It worried her more than she would show, and it honestly hurt her to think that. By some chance, Sora was doing this for a reason he couldn't tell. What was so dire, so big a secret that he would go to such extreme's to push himself to those limits?

She still remembered one day she found him unconscious in the forest, she didn't know what kind of training he was doing, but whatever it was it had to be nearly inhuman.

Because he didn't wake up for a total of 3 days afterwards.

_'He's entitled to his secrets as anyone else is, but I just wish he'd be more open with me. I mean, we're friends aren't we?'_ she thought, but a pained expression took hold as she remembered a few days ago when she showed her worry for Sora when heading home. She saw it, from behind the door, it was only a moment, but there was _pain_ in those crystal blue eyes of his. The way he dropped the paopu fruit, something she knew Sora would _never_ have done. There was so, _so _much pain, it made her heart clench so painfully it made her want to let out a cry.

Why, why was there so much pain in his eyes at that single moment?

''Sora...why are you pushing us away...why are you pushing _me _away?'' the young teenage spoke to herself, yet the words were carried off into the breeze.

Quietly, she let her eyes stare down at her hands as memories of her childhood with her brunette friend played back. The memories were long, but each one was filled with precious moments that she wouldn't trade for anything. Each moment was important to her, but as she recalled the memories of her childhood, she felt a few gaps of emptiness in her memory that she couldn't seem to recall.

That made her eyes narrow, that had been something that always bothered her, she prided herself on an excellent memory, but as she grew up she began to notice her memory couldn't seem to recall certain moments in her life as she grew up. It was a mystery to her, one that's bugged her for year's now.

But it was only second to the painful mystery that surrounded her, cheerful yet enigmatic friend, Sora.

''Riku~! Riku~! Helloooo up there!'' suddenly the girl was shapen from her solemn musings from the rather cheerful face of a certain redhead. Peering down she found herself staring into two orbs of round innocent blue eyes of her friend, Kairi.

''Oh hey Kairi, what's up?'' Riku, pushing down her recent thoughts and trip down memory lane to the farthest corner of her mind, waved at her giving out lazy drawn out welcome. She figured the redhead had come to let her know about the status on what else they needed to finish the raft and on the supplies, something Sora volunteered to get the rest of.

But when she saw her grin she knew that was not case.

''Sora asked me to come and get you, he's getting the last of the supplies and asked to have a spar with us at the usual spot, you game?'' she asked with a glimmer of excitement showing proudly in her eyes.

For Riku it didn't take her a second to think about her answer, all her recent thoughts were quickly subjugated by her incredible surge of excitement at the spar to come. This was something she shared with Kairi, among her bond with the girl. They both shared an immeasurable urge to finally one up the boy that had never been beaten in a spar by anyone in the Destiny Islands. Sparring against him was usually a mock battle of swordplay with their wooden swords, but somehow he never lost a battle against anyone.

It irked her more than she'd admit, which was why she secretly pushed herself to try and become better at swordplay so she could hopefully match him on even ground. But it never happened and it took both her and Kairi to barely keep ground against him.

Nonetheless, to spar with him was something both wouldn't pass up for anything.

Without missing a beat she flung herself off the tree and flipped, landing on the sand on a knee she stood up with a smirk that was only matched by Kairi's grin.

''Well, let's not keep him waiting, shall we?'' her smirk only grew as Kairi's turned devious.

''Um!'' with a nod, Kairi and Riku walked side by side, ready for a spar that would undoubtedly be an eventful one.

Of that she was certain.

**OwO**

Standing upon the small island connected to the main island, Sora stared out at the ocean, watching as the sun began to go down. His eyes strayed upwards to sky and for a good few moments he just stared into the sky. His blue eyes just peering through the clouds and the atmosphere and with ease he could see the stars that lay beyond their world. Each star holding a different story, a different adventure to tell.

_'Each star twinkles with light that could be seen from galaxies far and apart, but surrounding each star, the darkness of the entire universe threatens to swallow them whole.'_

It was a morbid thought, but a true one nonetheless.

But he stopped his gazing when he felt the presence of his two friends approaching him, letting a smile take hold he glanced over his shoulder with his smile turning into a grin. ''Well bout time you two showed up.'' he said, eying the two wooden swords in both Kairi and Riku's hands. They were old and beaten up from years of sparring, but still durable enough to handle more.

Riku simply gave him a challenging expression with a smirk to match, ''Hmph please, like I'd miss this for anything, you better be ready, Sora...'' she said as she brought up her sword into her signature stance. It was a similar one to the Riku he knew used, but it relied less on full frontal power, but a mix of power and flexibility.

''...Because we're gonna finally take you down a peg! Just you watch, Sora!'' Kairi finished bringing out her own wooden sword and getting in a stance that was somewhat similar to the stance she used in battle during his time. Unlike Riku's, her stance relied on a more defensive and counter style mixed in with using her natural speed and reflex in conjunction.

_'Along with her high potential for magic, but that's for a later time.'_ Sora thought, Kairi had been scary when she utilized her spells. Firaga used in conjunction with Aeroga, was simply terrifying to behold.

Chuckling, he reached down and picked up his wooden sword that was leaning against a palm tree. Unlike Riku and Kairi's sword though his wasn't barely intact, looking as if it would break with just enough opposite force. It was cracked in several places, chipped and splintered in other area's. Still he made do with wrapping the cracked handle and guard with medical wrapping.

''You two talk big, but let's see if you can back it up.'' he said and with a simple motion he set his sword at his side, relaxing his posture leaving him to the naked eye with many openings. But to the two girls who had been training with him since they were kids, they knew that this posture was _painfully_ deceptive in its nature. When it looked like he was full of openings, it was in reality a posture that had zero weaknesses.

It just looked that way which was intentional, those that went for a _'supposed'_ opening woke up with star in their eyes while laying on their back wondering just what the hell happened.

Narrowing their eyes, the girls shared a glance and in a unspoken sign the two tensed.

''HAAAA!''

Sora? He just grinned.

Riku charged forward with Kairi close behind her, the albino came up to him with a horizontal sweeping slash which he jumped back from. Before he brought sword infront of him as Riku continued her assault with an overhead strike. Feeling the impact he pushed her away, but as she skidded back he felt someone coming up behind him.

Spinning around he dodged Kairi's slash at his left and pivoting on his right heel, he jumped to the side.

''C'mon, you two can do better than that~.'' he taunted with a cheesy grin, but it was wiped away when he saw Kairi's devious smirk. Blue eyes widening he felt someone above him, looking upwards he saw Riku coming down from the air.

''Tch.'' jumping back he dodged Riku's initial strike, but she continued her assault with a variety of attacks. Parrying, dodging, he spun around an over-reached strike before slamming his palm into her abdomen. ''Guh!'' gasping Riku grimaced as she forced back, but reflex took hold as she felt Sora come at her. Dancing on the tip of her toes she twirled around his vertical slash before lashing out with a strike at his unprotected back.

But he brought his sword up behind him in time to block it, but that proved to be a mistake, as Kairi attacked from his left side. She came in quick and hard at Sora's unprotected left side, but when she saw Sora about to reach out with his left hand Riku acted. Pushing forward, she caused Sora to stumble giving Kairi enough time to get within reach of him.

Or so it seemed...

''Take this, Sora!'' Kairi let out a cry of what seemed like sweet victory and just as her sword was within an inch of hitting him...

Sora's grin_ widened._

''Ohhh crap!''

Crap indeed.

Sora just _moved_, to the girls eyes he used the momentum of Riku's push against him to flip forward. Dodging Kairi's strike and rebounding from the ground and charged the two girls, first he came to Kairi. Within inches of one another, wide innocent blue eyes met azure before she felt her feet get knocked out from under her.

''Kairi!'' grunting Riku charged forward hoping to stop Sora from knocking Kairi out.

But before she could even realize his true intention Sora caught Kairi and in a motion of speed and strength spun around and threw the redhead toward Riku knocking Riku off guard. Or so it seemed until Kairi and Riku actually surprised the brunette time traveler. With flexibility Kairi spun in the air and landing on the ground beside Riku, she looked up to Sora with a smirk.

''You almost got me, S-o-r-a~!'' the redhead said teasingly.

''Wow...'' that's all he could say really, that is until he tensed when he saw Riku and Kairi charge him. But before they came at him the two shared a glance before nodding and at that split second they diverged, and flanked his sides.

_'Pincer movement huh? Nice try girls, but that won't work. Still...they're ready.'_

With that thought Sora closed his eyes.

_'But I think I can end this spar on a good note hehe!'_

Riku lashed out with a horizontal slash and Kairi came at him with lunge, but just as they were within reach of him Sora acted. With his grin turning into a smile, he discarded his sword before he pushed Kairi's lunge aside with his palm. Than wrapping around his arm around the surprised girls waist he jumped over Riku's attack. Landing behind her, the brunette bat her sword out of her hand before sweeping her off her feet and into his other arm.

''Wah wah wah!'' Kairi could only stutter in surprise as her face quickly flushed scarlet, while Riku's reaction was a little less subtle.

''What the hell are you doing, Sora!'' she shouted the brunette and for good measure gave him a good whack on the head, but he didn't even seem to notice. The calm exterior she composed was easily shattered from Sora's unpredictable action. Her face resembled a tomato at this point, but poor Kairi was looking like steam would start leaving her ears at any moment now.

As for Sora? Well he just laughed.

''Hahaha! Just having fun is all!'' the teenage in body just laughed as he spun his two friends slung over his shoulders. Until he just stopped and making sure they were with him he just fell flat on his back. With nothing to stop them, Riku and Kairi fell alongside him.

And for a moment the three just laid there, one just grinning up at the sky, taking this one chance to be as carefree as possible while the two girls on his sides stared upwards blinking confused, bewildered, embarrassed, but above all surprised at what Sora did. Usually he took their spars very seriously, but what he just did. He never did that before and it really threw them for a loop.

''Sora, are you okay?'' kairi asked the question on both their minds, this just wasn't normal for their already enigmatic friend. But Sora just kept staring up at the sky, but he glanced down at Kairi and then Riku's questioning eyes before looking back up at the sky.

''It's nothing, I just...I just wanted to relish this moment we have together, just staring up at the sky and wondering what worlds we'll be seeing. What kind of adventures we'll have together, I am definitely certain we'll have so many. So much so that I just want to relish this moment of normalcy for what it's worth.'' he spoke the truth, from within his heart he ached for this, although he nor they would never have this again, he sorely missed this during the War and to know it would be taken away soon pained him.

He knew it would happen soon, but still he didn't have to like it.

''Sora...'' Kairi let out, understandably the two girls were shocked by Sora's words. It was solemn in a way, but it filled their hearts with a warmth that only he could give them. His love for his friends was what made him Sora. But it was more than that, he cared for the life they had now and though they all wanted this he still thought about the here and now and cherished these little moments when others took them for granted.

It was mature in it's own way.

Sighing Sora closed his eyes, ''Mah~ Now I'm embarrassed forget I said anything.''

As he said this Kairi shared a glance with Riku who only showed a small smile before they looked back at Sora.

''No, we think not.''

And he was left shocked when he felt a pair of arms encircle his neck and chest. He could say nothing as Kairi and Riku pulled themselves closer to him and rested their heads in the crook of his shoulders. But they both looked up at him with an expression that truly made Sora's scarred heart melt.

''In fact I think we want to make this day to be remembered...'' Kairi said before Riku continued as their cheeks started to darken.

''So close your eyes for a second, Sora.'' she finished.

As for Sora, he was confused by what they were saying, but deciding to do what they said he leaned back and closed his eyes. Not really sure what they were planning to do, but he could feel them moving, pushing their bodies against him. The scent of their hair filled his nostrils before he felt pair of lips on both of his cheeks.

He stiffened at the sensation and his eyes slowly opened wide to see the faces of his two closest friends staring back down at him. Crimson colored their cheeks, but their expressions lit up the darkness within his soul, they gazed down at him _lovingly_ and through the rapid beat of his heart he felt them lay themselves even closer to him. Their arms tightening their hold on him as well.

''K-Kairi...R-riku...I...'' he was silenced when Riku put a finger to his lips silencing him on the spot before she snuggled closer into his shoulder.

''Don't say anything Sora, let's just lay here and enjoy the moment, hm?'' she said mumbling into his shirt and he quickly silenced himself. Because really, what could he say to that? They just pulled a surprise on him, and did that without any sense of hesitation.

It bewildered him, but it also excited him in a way.

_Weird._

Shrugging he tightened his arms around their waists and pulled them closer missing the smiles on their faces widening and becoming only more loving as the two girls stayed in the embrace of their most favorite person in their whole lives.

**OwO**

''Alright you two, go get some sleep. We can finish up the raft tomorrow, but now get some shut eye.'' Sora said as waved of both Kairi and Riku who took their respective boats off shore. Looking to them he shared a smile as he watched them drift away.

''But what about you? You need to get some sleep as well, Sora. You barely get any sleep as it is.'' kairi said, ever the beautiful worry wart that she was, but her words had merit. He barely got much rest these days, but for reasons they didn't know.

Still seeing their worried expressions he simply scratched the back of his head and grinned, ''Maa~ Don't worry I'll be heading out soon, I just need to grab a few things I forgot about. Don't worry, you two need to get going before you both get in trouble for being out so late.''

Frowning at his words, although they were true, they could only accept it but didn't have to like it either.

''Okay, well we'll see you tomorrow, okay?'' Kairi asked the obvious and Sora just nodded with a thumbs up. ''You betcha!''

_Lies_, he mentally grimaced. The tides of darkness were coming, to change everything. For better or worse.

That said they set of, but as they left the three friends share one last gaze with one another, Riku and Kairi stared at Sora with complex emotions swirling in their eyes as Sora just stared back with his ever intense blue eyes. And as soon as they were out of eyesight Sora's warm blue eyes subtly changed.

His azure orbs slowly turned into two pools of liquid sapphire, carrying a cold edge that was only meant for a warrior. Age seemed to take hold of the young teenager's expression as his face hardened and a deadly edge took place over his body. Slowly he turned around and glanced toward the hidden tunnel where he, Riku and Kairi went to get away from everyone else.

The very same place that housed the keyhole to their world.

"_Now I believe it's time to have a little chat with an unwelcome visitor."_

**OwO**

Standing directly infront of the door that housed the keyhole to his world Sora just kept his stare straight and true even as the darkness of the cave around him seemed to intensify and strengthen. But it did not dare to encroach any further upon him, in fear of being destroyed by his sheer presence and force of will.

He could feel him there and yet could not, such was the presence of the one who had no physical body in this plain of existence. Yet their spiritual attachment was strong enough to allow this existence to continue roaming without a physical body to keep him grounded.

''Why don't you come out and face me, stranger?'' Sora spoke into the darkness, staring into the veil of ebony that swirled around him. It encompassed the door and everywhere around him until nothing was left, but the perpetual blackness. Yet Sora was not the least bit worried, darkness did not scare him, and he showed as such as stared into the face of it without the slightest flinch.

_**''Hm..."**_

''Cut the act and face me specter or leave. I do not have the time or the patience to deal with one that no longer has a heart and is just a shadow of what it used to be.'' he spoke cryptically, but it had the desired effect of surprising his unwelcome visitor.

_**''...Well aren't you the interesting one?''**_

Following the sound of the voice, Sora came face to face with the origin of the voice, and the appearance of who it was nearly made Sora's reign over his own anger break. Such was the spike of hate he felt that it nearly shattered his self-control, but he slammed it back down and locked it away. It would not help him to lose himself against this person especially since it could hurt his friends in the long run.

''What are you doing here, _heartless?_'' Sora spat, his blue eyes narrowing dangerously upon the brown cloaked form of none other than the very being that changed his and his friends life's entirely. It was a hunched-back figure with a cloaked that shadowed his entire face, but his voice was smooth and deep, carrying a hint of a baritone like feel to it.

It chuckled and Sora just wanted to blast this bastard from existence.

_**''My, my you even know of the Heartless? My knowledge of you has sorely been...misplaced. Tell me child, just who are you?"**_

Outwardly it showed no concern, but inwardly was an entirely different matter. This wasn't right, this boy wasn't supposed to know anything about the otherworldly, his observations had suggested as such. Yet here standing before him was the very same boy that was throwing out everything he perceived to be fact to the four universal winds.

Sora just kept his dead stare on the figure before he brought up his hand, and then in a flicker of motion he disappeared. Far faster than the figure could react, Sora reappeared infront of it with his finger pointing directly into the shadows of his hood.

''Who I am is of no importance to a shadow of an old fossil, but I will say this. I may not be able to physically end you, but your existence on the other hand...is not so well protected.'' Sora said with growl before his finger quickly began to glow a golden piercing light. Feeling incoming danger to it's being the figure vanished into a swirl of black mist, just in time too as a golden blade of pure magical energy shot out from Sora's finger. Piercing straight through the darkness and limestone cave.

Not showing a hint of disapproval at missing his target, Sora turned his deadly gaze on the specter that seemed to be keep its distance from him now. It was obvious now that the specter was addressing him as a threat.

_**''You...you are no ignorant child...What are you?''**_ it asked to the stoic Sora who merely raised an eyebrow before he titled his head down to look at the carvings made into the stone. Carvings he made with Kairi and Riku. His long bangs shadowed his eyes, but Sora raised his hand to his face and upon opening his hand he raised his head to stare into the face of whom will be first victim of many to come.

''What am I, you ask? It's very simple, _Ansem._'' Sora let out a hiss as the figure went rigid at the mention of that name. But Sora paid little attention to this as he let one of the many shackles of his power loose. Not completely, but just enough to show he was not to be underestimated. His blue eyes slowly, but surely sharpened and turned icy blue. An aura of pure magical power came off his boy in waves. It caused the island itself to shake from the intensity alone, but Sora merely focused the entire intent of his shackled power upon the figure.

His icy blue eyes carried an edge that spelled only death for this figure. And the cloaked figure knew this in the deepest depths of it's existence. Nothing he did would let him escape this..._things_ grasp.

_''I am Sora, remember that name well...''_

"Ansem" barely had time to notice that an orb of pure magical power materialized infront of him, but when he noticed the miniature white orb inside the sphere he felt the urge to get out of there.

_NOW!_

_**''Haha I see I see, Sora is it? I'll remember that well, I just hope you survive after this worlds swallowed by the darkness. It'll be boring without someone as interesting as you in the fold. But for now, goodbye!~"**_ the cloaked figure spoke before it vanished in a portal of darkness. Watching it leave, Sora canceled his attack and simply exhaled.

''Run all you like "Ansem", but when the time comes I will find you and end you for good. Until then throw whatever you have at us, me and my friends we'll break anything you have and throw it back at you a hundred-fold, you piece garbage.'' Sora growled out before turning away. Evaporating the darkness within the cave with a wave of his hand.

The Time was coming...

Their Adventure was nearing...

_'Too bad though, I'm gonna need to take a detour before I go.'_ Sora thought before shaking his head.

Still he had full confidence in his friends could match up to the threats of the now. But painting himself as a target would prove wonders, as it would take the heat off his friends for a bit and it would allow him to gather information on who he needed to hunt down and kill before they became a problem.

''This is gonna be one hell of a ride.'' Sora said with a cheeky grin as his icy blue eyes glowed with intensity.

Yes, fun indeed.

* * *

**Done! Longer than the last chapter, but not by much. Still hoped you all enjoyed it for what it was.**

**Now I'm not trying to speed up the relationship between Sora, Kairi and Riku, but I'm taking into account that for one, Sora's as oblivious as a rock. Two, Kairi and Riku still need to come to terms with their feelings for the boy and vice versa for Sora.**

**I am not following canon on certain events as you have now no doubt seen, I'm gonna try to make this as interesting as possible.**

**But that's all I need to say, gonna go get some rest now. Couldn't play KH 2.5 HD Final ReMIX because I spent all night working on this chapter! T.T**


	3. It Begins and A Precious Light

**I think I'll be leaving the author's notes at the bottom from now on. But as the last time, I want to thank **_The Archsage_** for pointing out some flaws in my current grammar. I'll aim to tweak it and thanks a lot!**

**Now on with the story!**

* * *

"_Close your eyes, feel the thrum of my heart within me and focus. Block out the darkness around you, focus only on me and I promise, I will save you." ~?_

**Kingdom Hearts: Rewind**

Chapter 2: It Begins and A Precious Light

Night had washed over Destiny Islands, blanketing the small villages and towns in blackness with very little clouds floating up in the sky. The sea of twinkling stars that floated overhead was one of the unique sights that Destiny Islands prided itself on, besides it's own sunset. For it felt like the planet itself was in the center of this sea of star's, enabling the locals to see every star light up the night sky. It was a fantastic sight to see, something more than a few locals would stay up at night just to witness or even the late night goers.

That is of course, except for one person. Sitting atop the edge of the volcano that stood at the far back of the main island was Sora, and instead of looking up and enjoying his worlds small, but unique spectacles. He was instead overlooking his world, soaking up every single detail and burning it all into his mind. From the islands, to the sea's, to the villages and towns, and his own hometown.

Letting one leg dangle from the volcano while the other was propped up, Sora let his blue eyes go back down to his hometown. Where within lay his family, his friends, his school, his dojo. Everything that he had ever known and grew up knowing was perfectly branded inside his mind, into one of the many vaults that housed his most cherished memories.

''This will be the last time I see this world again, for how long I'll never know. So much has to be done and so little time to do it...'' his words left him in a whisper, but the truth in those words could never be ignored. The work he had to do was extensive beyond measure, but it had to be done, to ensure the survival of this time line, he had to be the one to take up the challenge.

_'But it's never easy...'_ the former Keyblade Master thought. Still he smiled as all the work in preparation done up until this point came to the forefront of his mind. Ever since he woke up in this time, as a newborn, he had done everything within his power to prepare not only himself, but both Kairi and Riku for this chaotic transition from their lives of normalcy, to lives that would ultimately be deciding factors in the continued survival of the universe itself.

He had faith in them, he had pushed them to the edge in physical fitness, with the ever so small subtle of ways. But the results had been staggering for the two, and he couldn't have been more proud of them.

Still, he worried for them, but he would watch over them and protect them from those that would seek to destroy them.

After all it was his duty as their closest friend.

A breeze swept past him, cool to the skin, but carried in it was the hint of change to come. A sigh broke from the time traveler and soon his eyes settled on Riku and Kairi's homes for a moment. In that little moment of time, Sora could see the apparitions of his two friends appear before him. Their last act to him prior to leaving their island still left him a bit puzzled, but nonetheless warm in the pit of his abdomen.

"I promise you...Kairi...Riku...you will live too see a brighter future. For yourselves, for our families, four our friends...for the whole universe.''

Feeling a subtle change in the wind, Sora's blue eyes glanced toward the island where he spent most of his childhood, and there he saw what was becoming a storm. Feeling the vile darkness in the wind and atmosphere continue to grow in intensity made his eyes narrow.

''And so it begins...'' he trailed on before he began to stand up. Standing up to his full height, Sora let out a breath before he closed eyes. Focusing upon the darkness within him he channeled it and mustered it to the forefront of the physical world and by the enforcement of his will he enacted his will onto the darkness.

And in a display of sheer dark power, Sora was engulfed in an aura of black as night, fiery black flames swallowed his body until he swept his hand casting the flames into nothingness. Now standing where he was, Sora took one glance over his new attire and easily ignored the memories they brought to him. Gone was his normal clothing he once wore as his usual 14 year old self, but instead he was dressed in pitch black garments.

Knee-high black boots meshed well with black pants while the rest of his body was covered by a full-length black cloak, zipped down just below his waist, two silver drawstrings decorated two large silver beads at the end. Looped across these two drawstrings was a chain with four cylindrical beads.

The flapping cloak tails calmed as Sora exhaled once again. The cloak covered the entire part of his body, but he soon reached behind him and pulled hood of the cloak over his head. And as Sora stared up into the sky, watching the storm begin to get stronger, his face was slowly overtaken by the shadow of his hood.

_'This brings back memories...'_ thought the young man in body as he took a moment to glance over his new garments.

But then a strong gust a wind blew past him, his coat tails flapped wildly, but he remained undisturbed as he brought up his right black gloved hand and inhaled.

_''Time to begin our little adventure.''_

_Exhale_

In a brilliant flash of white, a sudden weight landed in his hand. A familiar sound of a moving keychain resounded in Sora's ears and as the light vanished in the wake of the darkness beginning to engulf his world. Sora took one look upon his Kingdom Key before turning his gaze back to his island and the storm that hovered above it. Looking upwards, he focused upon the center of the storm and as the sky began to break apart he saw the giant orb of black and red begin to descend.

_''Time to go...''_

Faster than the eye could see, Sora hit the edge of the volcano in quick steps before he vanished in nothing more than a blur.

**OwO**

Appearing on the island, Sora landed on the dock, and glancing down he noticed both Riku and Kairi's boats were already docked.

_'Just like before...'_ he mused before he turned his gaze to where he sensed Riku was, and like last time he could see her standing on the small island where they sparred. Vanquishing his presence, Sora began making his way toward his childhood friend, cutting down every Shadow heartless that spawned in his path. Mindless little drones off the Darkness that could not recognize the danger Sora represented until it was too late. So, they were all cut down and the hearts released returned whence they came.

But the darkness that was consuming his world steered clear of him, parting way as he carved his path toward Riku first and as his boots reached the wooden bridge. He made way to Riku's motionless form, cutting down every shadow in his way.

Sora was calm, his resolve was determined and strong, as he set out to do what was best for his friends, the first being the girl before him. He could not change Riku's path entirely, for this was a path she would take regardless of any direct intervention on his part. It was in her nature, just as it was for the Riku he once knew to embrace the darkness. And walk down it's path without fear.

But that did not mean he wouldn't help her be prepared for the path she was going to take.

**OwO**

Riku could only let out a sigh as she looked upon the darkness that was consuming her world, her silver hair billowed in the raging winds, but she could not pry her eyes away from the otherworldly forces that was coming upon her world with such ferocity. The results of her opening the door in the secret cave, on this very island. Her body trembled at what she wrought upon her world, but she remained standing as the effects of the darkness around her began to circulate around her.

_'I should have listened to Sora, I should have never messed with that door...'_ she thought, musing a few years back to when Sora had warned her to not mess with the door. Labeling it as "Freaky" and not something to be tinkered or messed with. At the time she thought he was full of it and cam back later to do the exact opposite of what Sora warned her about. The memory of it flashing before it appeared having what looked like a golden keyhole appear still burned in her mind.

But the darkness began to push these memories down as she was slowly swallowed up in thoughts of finally leaving these islands, _this prison_, together with Sora and Kairi. This drove her primary goal and was only strengthened by the darkness feeding upon this sole desire. Her eyes began to become void of light as her desire to leave this forsaken world grew and grew and _grew_.

_Until..._

The sound of heartless bursting from existence alerted Riku and she turned expecting to see Sora, but her eyes widened to see instead of her precious brunette friend. She saw a rather ominous black cloaked figure standing there before her very eyes. The figure was a head taller than her, but the stranger's overall appearance pegged her as something not quite right. But the one thing that quickly caught her attention was the key-shaped object held in the figures hand. It had a black handle with a golden key-shaped guard with long silver blade while at the end of said weapon looked to be a crown.

Feeling a sense of dread or perhaps apprehension at his stranger, she took a step back in hesitation. ''W-who are you? Where's Sora?!'' she questioned the cloaked figure, hoping to find some answers as to where her childhood friend was amidst the chaos. But to her increasing anxiety the figure said not a single word before he boldly began to step toward her. Seeing this her apprehension grew and she tried to move only to find herself unable to. Looking down she noticed the darkness having grabbed her feet and began to suck her.

Idly she noticed the darkness did no such thing to the strange, it was as if the darkness was _afraid_ of this person.

''Stay away from me!'' in her desperation, Riku lashed out with her fist only for the cloaked stranger to slap her fist away before he was within inches of her. Finding no way to escape, Riku closed her eyes, awaiting for whatever this stranger was about to do. Was he about to kill her for disturbing some natural order in the balance of the universe? Or merely ending her on a simple whim if nothing else?

Was she going to die? Before ever seeing Sora and Kairi again?

Riku expected a lot of things to happen, but she didn't expect the strange to lean over to her before he placed one hand on her head, ruffling her slightly spiky hair in the process. But the stranger's fingers for a moment rubbed her scalp in a soft manner, it was a very scary sensation for it was _familiar_.

It brought a certain warmth to her only one other person could give her.

Her eyes snapped open, wide in surprise, but as she looked up at the cloaked strange she blinked when he poked her forehead. And in that single moment she missed a certain streak of the purest light travel from the stranger's finger before it absorbed into her body. And just as the darkness completely consumed her, Riku felt the stranger lean down to her ear and whispered a few words that made her troubled soul swell in both apprehension yet comfort.

"_...You are strong, Riku, now walk down your own path. Not one dictated by others, but of your own choices and consequences...and be safe.''_ and with those fleeting words, Riku's last sight before she was swallowed in the darkness was of the figures shadowed visage staring at her.

_'W-who...are you?'_ was Riku's last thought before she was absorbed.

Watching Riku completely disappear into the darkness, feeling both sad in watching her go yet faithful in her survival. Sora turned his gaze to the cave, where he felt Kairi's presence. Gripping onto his keyblade, Sora disappeared as he felt Kairi's body and soul flicker and weaken in the spiritual plain and he moved faster and faster as the pain in his heart grew.

_'This next parts gonna be tricky, defying destiny and fate is never easy nor a wise thing to do, but for Kairi, I will do it a thousand times over.'_ thought the young brunette as he used utilized the momentum of his speed Sora beckoned a portal of darkness to open up and link itself inside the cave. And without a second thought he jumped inside.

**OwO**

What was happening to her? She could not fully understand it herself. Her body was frozen infront of the door in the secret place shared between her, Sora and Riku. Smoke of pure darkness leaked off the door's outline and it froze her on the spot. It threatened to snuff her out of existence, but she fought against the effects it was having her, but she still felt weakened, ill and cold.

_So very cold_...

Her wide frightened blue eyes stared ahead, unable to move, unable to blink, unable to even breathe. Such was the intensity the darkness had on her. But as her fear and apprehension grew, her heart cried out out for the one she yearned for at this very moment.

_'Sora...help...me...'_ the redhead thought and the pain in her chest grew as her heart cried out for the boy who had become her precious brunette. Dearly, she missed his presence right now, more than ever. Missing his protective safeguarded presence, the very same atmosphere they made her feel safe and secure from anything on the island prior to right now.

''S-sora...help me...'' Kairi uttered out as her heart cried out.

And her call was answered...

Suddenly a portal of ebony opened up infront of her, her eyes would have widened if they could, but as she felt the darkness begin to push her back her weakness growing as it did. She saw something jump out of the portal and towards.

_Bu-bump!_

And suddenly the redheads heart let out a deep meaningful beat. Kairi let out a small gasp, drawing in her first breath of oxygen in what felt like ages, as she found herself in the strong arms of a black cloaked figure. And upon realizing this, her weakness faded as her strength returned, the color in her body returned and the incredible warmth excluding from this persons embrace gave gave Kairi enough to strength to look up into the face of her savior.

Only to he mildly disappointed when all that awaited her was a visage cloaked in shadow.

''W-who are you?'' Kairi mumbled out in surprise. But the figure remained silent even as the darkness pushed against his back with the force of a tsunami. He remained on ground with her in his arms, his posture firm as steel and posture unbreakable. As Kairi was about to ask again, the hooded stranger held her tighter in his arms. And it was then through the fabric of their clothing Kairi could feel the subtle beat of this stranger's own heartbeat becoming in sync with her own. The beat of his heart was akin to a lullaby to her ears, but she held onto the fabric of her savior's cloak.

But to her immense surprise, the stranger leaned down to her ear and whispered a few words. If she could have, Kairi would have resembled a cherry at the sheer close proximity she was in with this strange, yet familiar person.

_''Be Strong, be determined, Kairi, I know you can. Overcome everything that's thrown at you and become all the more stronger for it.''_ and it was than Kairi's blue eyes widened in shock as the familiar sensation she felt from this man became too strong to ignore. The familiar beat of his heart against hers, this familiar sensation of warmth he exclude. Only one person could give her this sensations.

''S-so-'' before she could even finish her word, the man stopped her by pulling her face to his chest and in that moment as Kairi's shock grew, she felt a sudden sensation of _something_ absorbing into this stranger. As it finished, Kairi felt her eyelids grow heavy, but the stranger held her in his arms.

As for Sora, he mentally sighed as he let the piece Kairi's heart fuse with his own. A safeguard to protect her from those that would seek her out for being one of the Seven princesses of Heart. Feeling the piece safely secure, he looked down at the redhead in his arms and for a moment he smiled behind the shadows of his hood.

_''Goodbye...Kairi, become strong, be brave and resolute, for I know you can...''_ was the last fleeting words Kairi heard before she succumbed to sleep. Doing so, Sora opened up a portal of darkness beneath Kairi before he laid her inside it. Watching her go, Sora let out a sigh as she was completely swallowed by his own darkness and taken to the world that he knew she would be safe in for the time being.

_''Now...it's my turn.''_ Sora voiced as he turned around and in time too as the door to his world's very core exploded off it's hinges. And taking a few steps forward, Sora's blue eyes peered into the abyss that was his worlds core before he found millions, upon millions of golden eyes peering back at him. The darkness, evidently had completely seeped into his worlds keyhole and had consumed the core.

Without a single word said, Sora summoned his keyblade just as the darkness exploded out of the doorway and it engulfed him.

_''Now I'm coming for you...''_ Sora spoke as he vanished into the darkness, and with it his world was completely consumed by the Heartless. Leaving not a trace of it left in the wake of this catastrophe.

**OwO**

She was cold, numb and a bit weak. It was hard to breathe and she felt sore, but with what little self-awareness she had left. Riku could distinctively feel like she was laying on something very cold and hard. Blearily opening her eyes, the only thing she could see through her blackening vision was a few shadow creatures around her before something walked past them.

The last thing she saw was the robes of this stranger and the voice of said stranger before she fell back asleep.

_''Hm~, intriguing.''_ spoke the voice of a woman with a rich and deep tone that held a rather seductive tone to it, but it belied her thinly veiled curiosity and interest. Maleficent was not one to be so easily interested either, but the witch found her current target of interest to be of a unique character. She could easily sense the immense amount of darkness in this young woman's soul, but also her incredible potential that went along with it.

Chuckling into the back of her hand, Maleficent let loose a small conniving smirk. ''You are a most interesting child.''

**OwO**

The first thing she felt as she began to return to consciousness was a soft sensation of laying on something, a bed she thought. She was covered up, and stretching out her trained senses she could hear a few people in the room with her, but not feeling any ill intent aimed toward her way. Kairi slowly opened her eyes to be greeted to a ceiling with a running ceiling fan.

''W-where...am I?'' she muttered out in a hoarse tone, and suddenly she heard someone let out a gasp before whoever it was ran up to her bedside. By the tone of the person she was certain it was a woman, and she heard said woman speak up frantically to another in the room.

''Hey, Cid she's waking up! Go get Aerith and Leon, hurry!''

_'Cid? Leon? Aerith? What...?'_ feeling immensely confused by the names she'd never heard of, Kairi opened her eyes a bit more, but that alone proved to be pushing past her limits of staving off her exhaustion. But she was rewarded with seeing the sight of the one who was at her side, short black hair was the first thing she saw than big violet orbs stared back down at her with concern and yet joy.

''W-who...are you?'' Kairi asked and the woman let out a big grin that was scary similar to the one Sora gave off.

''Names Yuffie Kisaragi!'' the now named Yuffie answered the redhead who simply showed an exhausted.

''Ah...nice...to...meet...you...Yuffie...'' and like that Kairi's hold on consciousness faded, falling back to her sweet dreams while Yuffie panicked about Kairi's condition until her friends ultimately showed up to know on Kairi's condition.

**OwO**

Silent footsteps stepped out from amongst a sea of darkness, boots crunched upon the blackened soil as a black cloaked Sora walked out of the darkness. His normally cool blue eyes were an icy blue that pierced through the veil of the dimension he was in. He didn't have a single scratch on his body, nor was any part of his cloak torn.

Held in hand, his keyblade gleamed in the darkness around them. The heartless from all the four corners of this dimension hissed in both fear and hatred of the accursed weapon. But the darkness, the progenitor of the heartless themselves, parted way of the Keyblades wielder. Knowing on a instinctual level with it's own limited level of sentience that, nothing good would come from crossing this entity.

Exhaling, Sora took a moment to scan the area he was in, there was no doubt in his mind where he was now. There wasn't a single bit of light in this realm, an exact opposite to the realm of light. Standing flat-footed, Sora continued without fear as he trekked deeper into the dimension that could only be **The Realm of Darkness**. Home to the Heartless themselves.

But the sense of danger of being in the home of the Heartless didn't even faze the time traveler at this point. Darkness was nothing without Light as Light was nothing without Darkness. There was only one thing that mattered to the former Keyblade master at this point, with his world swallowed by the Heartless and ensuring the safety of his two closest friends. He could finally begin his own plans and set them in motion.

But before he could do any of that, there was one thing he needed to do above all else. His heart and soul demanded it of him and he would not ignore either. Besides, he wanted her back, to free her from this damnation she was in, she suffered for so long and another minute was a minute too long to him.

_'I'll get her out of here even if I have to tear a hole through this damn realm.'_ were the thoughts of Sora as he trekked deeper into the Darkness, looking, searching for his target.

Before he stopped as he felt a sudden pulse towards him.

_Bu-bump..._

_Bu-...bump..._

Tensing, Sora's head snapped in a single direction as he felt his connection to this person made him aware of her lingering presence. But fear settled in as he felt her presence becoming incredibly more weak as the seconds flew by.

_'...Help...'_

The sorrow filled heart called out to him, latched onto his own heart and pleaded for his help, and it didn't take half a second before Sora flickered out of sight. Vanishing faster than he had ever shown before, Sora soared through the Realm of Darkness, cutting down every Heartless that came in his path. His cloaked flapped wildly in the wind as Sora continued to push his speed.

_Faster...faster...faster...faster...FASTER..._

_**''FASTER!''**_ with an inhuman roar, Sora's form rocketed forward, causing a shockwave to erupt as he broke the sound barrier. Everything in his path, heartless or the terrain itself was destroyed upon coming in his path.. Fear clouding his mind, Sora soon came upon the location of his target and when he saw the swarm of heartless closing in on her, Sora didn't so much as hesitate to call out his Keyblade before he plummeted down.

_''**Aeroraga!**''_ inciting a combination of Firaga and Aeroga, Sora's form exploded into a gigantic sphere of circulating fire fueled on by his wind spell.

Seeing a flash of blue beneath him, Sora came down with the force of a hydrogen bomb.

**Boom!**

**OwO**

This was it...

She was done...

She couldn't keep fighting, she had no strength left. Her whole body was broken from fighting nonstop, she had no energy left to even move. Her whole body was bloody with numbers of gashes and guts upon her form while a number of bruises marred her dirty and sweaty features. Her once short blue hair was now dirty, caked in dried blood and sweat. While from time unknowingly of being unkempt made it grow until it was waist-length.

Her ocean blue eyes were void of any light and warmth that she once held, there was no glow of life in these blue eyes. And even as her heart and soul was screaming at her to get back up, she just couldn't, she didn't have the will anymore. To continue fighting a losing battle, on her side anyway.

_'I guess...this is how I will die.'_ were the thoughts of the broken woman, as she stared at the eyes of the countless Heartless swarming around her weakened frame. On instinct they knew she was beyond weakened and of any help and like a vulture began to circle their prey before striking.

As she saw them tense and ready for their pounce, the woman let out a sigh of resignation. ''I guess I'll be seeing you two soon. Terra...Ventus...'' and slowly she felt her eyes grow heavy.

But suddenly she felt something, a strange pull at her heart and it made her body fill up with a warmth she hadn't felt in all her young years. She could feel her heart thumping almost painfully as her soul cried out in hopefulness, to her own confusion. That is until she _saw_ the reason for this.

She saw the heartless had also stopped to look up to see a great blinding light of orange, crimson and gold light up the Realm of Darkness. It was incredible, it was terrifying, it was...

A _Miracle._

_''Beautiful...''_ the young woman thought as she saw the giant fireball come closer until a bright light encompassed her entire vision.

And the entire area where she was exploded in a giant firestorm that lit up the Realm of Darkness for miles, the sheer force of the explosion tore the surrounding terrain asunder and reduced the nearby mountains to ashes. Every heartless in the immediate area vaporized by the intensity of the flames. The ground rumbled and quakes beneath the force as the explosion stretched outwards.

And in a flash the explosion ended with only a sea of fire left in it's wake, but at ground zero of the explosion, a figure could be seen crouched in the center.

For a moment, she thought it had ended and she was in the after life, that was the only logical thought that came to mind to explain the sense of warmth she felt encompassing her entire boy. As if she were wrapped up in a blanket that protected her from the darkness she'd been fighting for so long. But that thought was quickly tossed aside when she felt herself being held gently in a pair of strong arms.

Surprised at this sensation, she slowly opened her eyes to see a sight that made her heart to soar in joy and soul to cry out in happiness. She found herself in a bridal carry and looking up to her savior she was greeted with a rather unique sight. The appearance of her savior was almost completely hidden if not for the fact his icy blue eyes were staring down through the darkness of his hood. His eyes were looking down into her own with care, affection and to her own confusion and surprise happiness.

Feeling her strength beginning to slowly return from being in the arms of this person, she tried to voice out a question. ''W-who-'' but she was silenced as the man held her close. So close in fact she could feel the beating of his own match with her own. The fabric of his clothing did nothing to hide the beating of his heart and she was thankful for his action of comforting her in this moment.

_''Shh, we can talk later, but for now just close your eyes and focus on the thrum of my heart. Block out the darkness around you and focus on me, and I promise. I. Will. Save. You.''_ her savior spoke. His words came out soft yet firm, warm yet determined, and feeling at a loss of words or direction the blue haired woman could only listen to his soft words of encouragement. If it meant saving her from this place of damnation, than why not take it.

Besides even if this was a figment of her imagination, she had nothing to lose if it was. She had already lost everything...

Right?

Feeling her meek nod against his chest, Sora let out a sigh before he stood to his full height. _''Good, now rest...you deserve it more than anyone else...''_ the brunette trailed on as he looked back down at the young woman in his arms affectionately.

_''Sweet dreams...**Aqua**.''_ he said as the two vanished a bright flash of light.

* * *

**Done! Oh my god I enjoyed this chapter SO MUCH! Now first I need to admit, I am a big, big, BIG fan of Sora x Aqua, as this chapter shows.**

**Now I need sleep, so leave me reviews on what you all thought or any mistakes I missed or made.**

**Bye!**

**Aeroraga:** Is a combination of Firaga and Aeroga that creates a sphere of wind around the user's body and the wind speeds up with the more magical power channeled into it. But Firaga is channeled into the sphere and fueled on by the wind sphere, the flames intensify until the sphere becomes a shell of intense fire and compact wind.

**Flash Step/Shunpo: **Allow the user to move and cross vast distances at incredible speeds and able to move even faster and further distances with the amount of steps one puts into a single second.** (The name of this technique is actually in KH 2.5 HD ReMIX I just changed it.)**


	4. Recovery and Reunion

**Thanks for the support everyone, and here's to the chapters to come!**

**Be warned if you have not played Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, there will be spoilers in this chapter, so forewarning you all.**

**Onwards!**

* * *

_"…__.I once made a promise to an old friend when I was younger, a promise to always watch out for and protect my friends no matter the circumstances. Although it took me longer than I wished to help you, I'm glad to have gotten you out when I did."_ _**~Sora**_

**Kingdom Hearts: Rewind**

Chapter 3: Recovery and Reunion

_'W-where am I?' _was the thought of a young woman with long ocean blue hair and ocean blue eyes. She found herself to be in a place of complete darkness, not unlike the true Realm of Darkness she had damned herself in. Yet this place felt more familiar to her, it wasn't exactly a comfortable place, but it was one she knew.

But than her pools of blue widened in realization, coming to realize where she was now. _'Wait...no...not this place.'_

It was too late for her to react before the darkness came alive and began too surround her, threatening to swallow her. To snuff out her existence entirely, resistance against the darkness was futile on her part as the darkness brought up memories long forsaken to life, once more.

Tear's began to pool in her blue orbs as she felt the feeling of these memories begin to return, and her resistance began to lessen.

_'No, please, no...no...no!'_

It was happening again...

She could feel it at the back of her skull, one by one the fragmented nightmares she'd kept locked away into the deepest depths of her mind were returning as she slept for the first time in what felt like years. Nightmares that fed upon her own misery, anguish, sorrow and anger. Taunting her with her past failures, reminding her of the mistakes she made and the consequences brought about by those very mistakes.

She feared these nightmares, for they always brought back the old pain of knowing what she had failed to do. Failing to convince Terra to stay off the path concocted by Xehanort's influence. Failing to stop Ventus from leaving the Land of Departure, against Master Eraqus own orders, in search for Terra. For her own failure of letting the title of Keyblade Master blind her to what was more important at that moment in time.

And her greatest failure, not being able to stop Terra from being taken over by Xehanort and Ventus from losing his heart in his battle against Vanitas.

She felt the sting of having the nightmares returning, the dark memories of all her past mistakes coming to the forefront of her mind. She had pushed such memories and nightmares down and away when she lost herself in the Realm of Darkness, after sacrificing herself to save Terra from falling into the realm himself. But they were back and threatening to push her beyond the edge and into the abyss of madness.

That is until she felt something...

Through the darkness that threatened to swallow her whole, through her eyes she saw something amidst the sea of memories she'd forsaken. One such memory was of when she arrived on Destiny Islands as tried to track down Terra and Ventus. Only to come upon a boy and a girl, one of which she sensed the mark of inheritance in the silver haired girl.

Then the memory went to the boy, his wild spiky brown hair was unkempt and his large blue orbs were looking up at her with a wide range of emotions that had confused her then and even now. But she watched as she asked him to watch over his friend and help her should she ever fall to darkness.

And his promise had been one that resounded through the darkness that threatened to take her.

"_I promise to protect her, like all my friends, if she needs help than I will help her. I won't rest until every friend I make is safe and sound.''_ was his reply to her advisement. It boggled her mind at the time when she heard his words, those were not the words a child his age would have spoken. She expected a simple "Yes" if anything, but something like that was not what she expected from the mouth of a boy that couldn't have been 5 or 6 year's old.

"_My names Sora, what's yours?''_ she saw the memory extend to the boy asking for her name as he introduced himself, and the memory showed her giving her name to the boy. And his smile at that moment had been as bright as the very sun that floated overhead. His small hand had taken hers and words in that memory had left her feeling foreign warmth that she had nearly forgotten.

Until now...

"_You're my friend now too, so if you ever need help, I promise I'll come running, Aqua!''_

Warmth, like the light of the sun itself was basking her in it's sheer radiance at those words. It was a strange, and foreign concept to consider that this single boy on some random world had brought this level of warmth to her in such dire times. Yet they had and his words had left her tempting, so very _tempted_, to see how Sora would grow, what kind of man would he have become. But her responsibilities and her bonds too Ventus and Terra kept her from truly witnessing his growth.

_'Sora...why am I thinking of him now?'_ she thought of that boy, the more time she thought of the boy the longer she contemplated the strangeness that surrounded him upon their first meeting. He wasn't a normal boy by any means, just by looking into his eyes she saw emotions, experience no child should ever have, impossible, _implausible_ even. Yet it was there, and those blue orbs had been incredibly intense the moment they stared into her own pools of blue.

And just as his promise to her echoed one last time within the depths of her mind...

The memory faded to another one, a most recent one from the clarity she saw it in. It was during her last stand in the Realm of Darkness, which nearly left her near death deaths door. Countless of heartless surrounded her, impossible to number, it was as if an entire ocean of heartless was swarming around her. Slowly it was coming back to her, it had been her last stand indeed, one she expected to not walk away from. For she didn't have the strength to get up, her will was gone, she lost the resolve to continue fighting. And yet, just as the heartless was about to consume her.

Something happened...

A Miracle occurred...

In the Realm of Darkness, just as the Heartless was about to consume her, a bright light pierced through the veil of ebony. Such was it's intensity that it lit up the entire realm it's in raw unbridled rays. It was as if the Sun itself had come to shed light upon the realm that never knew the Sun's radiance. She could only watch the memory play out even as unfocused as it was, and it was there, in the bright firestorm, she saw a figure in the eye of said storm coming down towards her. And in a bright flash of light, everything disappeared. She merely found herself waking to find herself in the arms of a black clothed figure. His entire appearance was cloaked in shadow, even as the light around him was almost divine in it's origin. The only part of her savior she truly was his piercing blue eyes staring down at her.

And then he spoke just as the memory faded...

"_...close your eyes and focus on the thrum of my heart. Block out the darkness around you and focus on me, I promise. I. Will. Save. You.''_

_'What...what is this...this light.'_ Aqua uttered out to herself in awe as the figures words brought forth a magnificent bright light within the depths of her own darkness. It melted away everything that haunted, and like a long lost friend. It welcomed her in it's warm radiant embrace. And just as she let the light take her, she heard his last faint words before she lost herself in the warm light.

"_Sweet dreams,** Aqua**."_

**OwO**

The first sign she felt upon returning to the world of the living was the smell of a crackling campfire. The wonderful cool breeze of the night winds blowing pass her body, and the smell of nature in the air. The sound of crickets and owls was akin to a melody to her sensitive hearing. It was like a small paradise for her, since her last accommodations were less than satisfactory for any human being.

But than, Aqua made the mistake of trying to move...

''Gah!'' she couldn't stop the yelp of pain that ripped out from her mouth. Such _pain!_ The moment she tried to even move a little bit sent a nasty shock all over her body. It was like she'd been set on fire and left to burn, so painful it was that it nearly brought tears to her eyes. A single twitch made her whimper, had her pain receptors been so severely damaged to such a point.

She noticed her body was wrapped up in multiple bandages and wrappings, from her arms, legs and her abdomen.

_'Who..?'_

_''Oi, don't try to move so much or you're gonna open up your wounds.''_

….Eh?

Unable to blink, because even that brought her pain, Aqua tried to find the origin of the familiar voice, but moving her head just a little bit was a monumental effort alone. Yet her action granted her the sight of the one who spoke and her eyes truly widened when she saw a familiar black cloaked figure sitting just a few feet from her. His appearance surprised her, but more so when he noticed her move, and without a word he stood up and moved toward her.

She tried to say something, _anything_ to the person, but found that she couldn't either because was in too much pain to do so or was having a hard time trying to come to terms with the fact she was actually _saved_.

It hadn't been a figment of her imagination. Not a horrible dream to entice her.

It was real...

His boots strode her way before he crouched down to her, and she heard him sigh. Was that _relief_ she sensed?

_''Stubborn, no surprise there though. Here let me help ease the pain.''_ he said and feeling no ill intent from him Aqua didn't struggle, not like she could anyway as he brought up his hand over to her head. For a moment she saw his hand glow a greenish hue before she felt a magical surge of power course throughout her body. The effect was quick as her pain receptors quickly began to return to normal and her wounds began to heal to a more stable state.

Feeling her strength return, if for only a small amount Aqua turned to look at the figure-_a man_\- she suspected due to the physique he had underneath that cloak. ''T-thank you...'' her voice was rough and hoarse, her throat was dry and in desperate need of water. Apparently he expected this and pulled out a bottle of water from his coat.

_''No need for thanks now here, drink this.''_he said and seeing her trepidation he spoke to ease her worries. _ ''Don't worry, it's not poisoned or anything, it's only purified water from the nearby river.''_ he said and plus the young woman figured if he really _did_ want to hurt her why hadn't he done so earlier?

Gently he put his under her head and helped lift her up so she could drink. And once Aqua felt the cold water rush past her lips and down her parched throat she greedily chugged what she could with a gusto. But that was still limited to what the cloaked man would allow her.

_''Now now don't drink too fast or you're gonna...''_

Too late, as the blue haired woman started to cough, sputtering up water as it went down the wrong pipe. Instantly she was pulled up a bit more by the stranger who, she noted, began to pat and rub her back.

_''….choke...''_ he finished lamely and Aqua felt heat rush to her cheeks in embarrassment. Still, after she regained herself she continued to drink what she could until she stopped. Putting the bottle away he let her lay back down which she did thankfully although with a bit of pain.

''U-um, thank you for that.'' she hesitated, but thankfully got out her appreciation out without much further stuttering on her part. She usually wasn't like this, but without any contact with anyone from the outside worlds for gods know how long she was still getting used to the contact. Although it wasn't unwelcome, she still felt this stranger's actions and attitude made it seem like he'd known her before hand.

_'Wait a second...'_

_''It's no trouble-''_ however he was silenced when Aqua grabbed his sleeve and forced to look her way and he was momentarily frozen from the rather icy glaze she was giving him. Ah there it was, that frigid gaze Aqua was known for, the suspicion was back again, along with a inkling of something else that he couldn't discern.

''Who are you? Why are you helping me? How did you even know where I was? What do you get out of this?'' she questioned the silent black clad man infront of her with loads of questions that demanded to be answered. Aqua expected something from this man because she would not drop the matter in anyway. She needed to know why this person had and was going so far for her. As far as she knew, she didn't know this person and the young woman couldn't think of a reason as to why he would even help her in the first place.

The only people that knew she was stuck in here was either gone, dead or incapable of helping her from the Realm of Darkness. So the question had to be asked.

Why did this person save her? _Why risk himself to save her, a stranger? _But the one question that mostly plagued her mind was...

_**Who is this guy?**_

For a moment silence ensued as Aqua kept her stare dead even with stranger even from her laid out position. The tension was thick in the air, but just as she was about to speak again he beat her to the punch.

_''I figured this would come up, but I didn't want it to happen so soon. Still your suspicion is understandable so I guess I should tell you, it'll help us both out in the long run.''_ he..._grumbled_? Yes, indeed, it sounded like a grumble. Aqua blinked once as the man grabbed the rims of his hood and in a quick motion pulled it down.

''I guess I should start by introducing myself. Since we're safe here, it'll be best to get this out of the way.'' with the hood no longer obscuring his face, his voice returned to normal. Still Aqua's widening blue eyes met an equally intense gems of sapphire. Familiar unkempt brown hair spiked out in a mess, but there was a ting of blonde that she could see in those brown locks of his. But still, for a moment Aqua could only stare dumbfounded as she looked into the face of one who seemed too familiar, yet it...

_'No...it can't be!'_

Still the young man before her showed the smallest of smiles, ''….I once made a promise to an old friend when I was younger, a promise to always watch out for and protect my friends no matter the circumstances. Although it took me longer than I wished to help you, I'm glad to have gotten you out when I did.'' he said scratching the back of his head as he did so. He hadn't planned for it to be like this, but the end result was all the mattered to him.

_'Although I would have liked to keep my identity a secret from her, I doubt it would have helped anyway, she was always the most intelligent amongst our group.'_ Sora thought, Aqua had been that way in his timeline, always being the level headed one that usually kept him grounded. Advising him and teaching him how to keep a level head during battle, she was a shrewd woman he came to respect and admire in the war.

Now that he thought about it he couldn't really hide anything from her...

_'Yet this isn't my Aqua...' _he reminded himself, this wasn't _his _Aqua, this was an Aqua that still suffered from her past failures and mistakes. One who still tormented herself with thoughts on what she could have done, what she should have done. And he intended to make sure she didn't suffer anymore from those thoughts, and it was with that intent and much more that Sora gave Aqua one of his rarest smiles. A true blown smile that made his eyes light up as well.

''S-sora...?'' Aqua could only utter out that response as she stared into the face of the young boy who had made her that promise long ago. But time seemed to have gone by much faster than she expected because now that boy was now a young man. He looked to be maybe 15 or 16, so much different from the young boy she first saw on Destiny Islands. But as she looked into his blue eyes she saw that range of emotions swirling behind those pools of sapphire.

For the time traveler he merely chuckled at her dumbfounded expression before taking her hand in his own. ''It's been a long time hasn't, Aqua?''

''I...think that's a bit of an understatement, don't you think?'' she spoke her mind and the flush that followed after showed her embarrassment. Still he didn't mind, she was safe and sound and that was all that mattered right now.

Grinning, Sora pat her hand before putting it to her side. ''Perhaps, but we can catch up later, right now I need to get you somewhere safe. So you can fully recover from your wounds.'' he said making Aqua blink up at him. Pulling up his hood again to cover his face, only his eyes were visible to her. Still she wasn't entirely sure what he meant, at least until he kneeled down and began to put one arm under her neck and the other under her legs. And missing the fact his arms glowed green, the very same when he healed her moments before. Sora gently and carefully picked her up into a bridal carry.

If Sora could have seen Aqua's face he would have been out right laughing at the expression she was making, realization had finally, _truly,_ sunk in as she finally came to terms with her situation. She had been saved from the Realm of Darkness, but by the most unlikely person she would have expected. Not only that though, but Sora had taken care of her, treating her wounds and...

_'He..he dressed my wounds that means he saw my...b-body.'_ like any other girl caught in that kind of situation Aqua felt her cheeks flush as she realized this fact. She was still the 17 year old young woman she was when she first entered the Realm of Darkness, thus she was a bit conflicted with having a boy looking at her body, let alone touching it. Then again it was to patch up her injuries, but still it was a rather sensitive subject to her.

_'Sure, Terra and Ventus were like brothers to me, but I always dressed up my own wounds.'_ she thought until she felt her body close in, flush up against Sora's arms. Brought back from her own musings she blinked and saw that Sora had situated her in a position that didn't aggravate her wounds. Holding up her in his arms with her head against his chest, she was left baffled that the young man didn't seem the least bit embarrassed by the situation. If anything he seemed like was used to this sort of thing.

But that's not possible, right?

''S-so where are we going anyway?'' she asked, internally grumbling at herself for stuttering yet again, that was getting embarrassing. But she blinked when Sora merely glanced down at her before he let loose a smile. A cold demented smile that sent a certain chill down her spine.

''Why, we're going to see Master Yen Sid, of course!''

…..

_'Oh no...'_ that was not a meeting Aqua was anticipating, she knew the old Master. He was a retired Keyblade Master that had been an old friend of her own master, Eraqus. He had been a sort of Guide during her mission to track down Ventus and Terra, and the impression she had on the elderly man was of a rather stern man. Much more than her own master had ever been.

Personally, Yen Sid frightened her a bit, maybe it was the aura of pure power he radiated or the intimidating presence of his sheer authority that demanded respect. She wasn't sure which, but one thing in her mind did beg to question as she glanced up to Sora's shadowed visage.

How did Sora know Yen Sid, a former Keyblade Master?

_'...No, now that I take a second look something's very different about Sora. Not only does he penetrate the Realm of Darkness and escape with me in tow. He even wields magical power, I can feel it coursing through him. Just...what happened to Sora while I was gone.'_

One thing was for certain, whatever happened in her absence, something changed that bright little boy she saw on the Destiny Islands into this young man. Something truly massive, enough to break apart his own reality and shake the foundations of his own life.

If only Aqua knew how right she had was.

And without another word Aqua saw Sora stop before a bright light encompassed them both before she saw only darkness.

**OwO**

''HYAAH!'' in a loud battle cry, Kairi flipped into the air and came down upon a giant Heartless and in a silver gleam of light she landed behind said Heartless. And as the giant Guard Armor heartless burst into a black mist, a giant heart floated out of the black mass and into the sky until it ultimately disappeared in a flash of light.

''Wow good job Kairi!'' the young redhead heard and turning around Kairi simply giggled as she looked at her exuberant friend, Yuffie Kisaragi. Her first of the few friends she made since waking up in Traverse Town. The girl was a few years older than her, but not by much yet she acted just like Sora did, only much more excitable.

And more prone to throw sharp and pointy things at any given chance.

''Hehe thanks, but I think I just caught it off guard or something.'' ever the first one to be humble about her own skills, the Ninja girl wasn't going to take that as she slapped the young girl on the back causing her to let out a small 'eep' as she lost nearly lost her footing.

''Oh c'mon on now Kairi, you did good. Besides, I don't think you were given _that_ just for the sake of having it. You got some serious skill with a blade.'' Yuffie said, glancing down at the weapon held in Kairi's hand. The redhead followed her gaze and her ocean blue eyes softened once her eyes landed upon her weapon.

It was a key-shaped weapon that one of her friends, Leon, said was a Keyblade that was said to be the only weapon that could truly kill Heartless. It seemed pretty harmless in appearance, looking more like decorative item than anything. One side of the hilt was formed in the shape of a breaking tidal wave, while the other is formed into a beige vine of sand that wrapped around the shaft which was colored the same as a sunset. The vine connected to a bouquet of flowers at the end which were the blade's _"teeth" _and it entwined in the shape of a heart. And finally at the end of the keyblade's hilt a red silken keychain bobbled back and forth while at the end of the chain looked to be a star shaped token.

Which was in fact the very same shape as her home's very own paopu fruit.

Kairi still remembered how she awoke to having this thing, she woke up in a town she didn't know. Sora nor Riku were nowhere in sight and attempts at finding them, against the behest of those that found her and took care of her as she slept. She'd been cornered by the heartless that were chasing her down, out of desperation she crossed her arms with only one thought in mind just as the Heartless pounced.

_Sora!_

And, from what Yuffie described when she and Aerith arrived was a bright flash of light erupted from her hand, which the light alone blew the heartless back. And in her hand was the very keyblade, basking in a golden light. Shards of pure light fell apart from the blade and once she realized the weapon could hurt the heartless. She went on the offensive, instinctively utilizing the skill's she learned from her spar's with a certain brunette.

Before she knew the Heartless were gone and Yuffie and Aerith were left staring at her in surprise or in Yuffie's case, agape.

''So, what do you call that thing anyway?'' Yuffie said as Aerith, bless her soul, was healing them with a Cure and a Regen spell.

Kairi blinked before she looked down at the keyblade in her lap and for a moment she contemplated. Giving a name to any weapon sounded petty ridiculous at first, but she supposed it was different when the weapon actually had a mind of it's own or in her case was a bit sentient. Not that it talked to her or anything, but as she wielded it she could the blade hum a song of battle as she danced around hr enemies, bringing them down before they even realized.

''Hm...'' for a moment she also thought of her long lost home, her friends, Riku and...

Sora, the thought of him that helped bring about her keyblade's birth in the first place.

''I think I'll call it, _Destiny's Embrace_.'' the redhead spoke with a grin and an even happier gleam in her eyes.

* * *

**This chapter was shorter, but I need time to relax and plan the next chapter out. Might be the biggest I've ever made in terms of word count, but it's gonna be complex as hell to write. That said, I think everyone may enjoy the change from the canon I'm towards.**

**As you can all see Kairi will not be traveling with Donald and Goofy, it just didn't seem right and it felt more fitting for her to be traveling with people that are native's to her own homeworld, Radiant Garden. As for progress on Riku that will be closely examined next chapter, right now I feel like my brains about too explode.**

**Anyway, leave me lots of reviews on what you all thought. I'm heading out, so see ya!**

**NS666 **(NocturnalSin666)


	5. Master, Student and Those you Cherish

**I blame my lateness on major writer's block and the circumstances that were beyond my control. That said, with the time I was away it allowed me to think about this stories future chapters and what I plan to do with Sora. I'm fairly sure this story will be derailing from what KH3's original story and end will be like, I am also doing my own twist on the events of KH 1 and 2 which you will see what I mean in this chapter.**

**I've also been using this time to study up certain aspects that I wish to put into this story and make those aspects evolve into something that will make the story as a whole lot more entertaining and immersive.**

**With that said, enjoy!**

"_...You have endured so much, I am surprised you are still able to stay sane after everything you've had to endure. The Light and the Darkness is strong in you, but I sense...something deeper. Something...much more. Righteous yet Hollow, Bright yet Cold. Is that...is that what you lost when everything you loved was taken from you?" **~Yen Sid**_

* * *

**Kingdom Hearts: Rewind**

**Chapter 4: Master and Student, Those you Cherish**

Throughout the course of his life, Sora had been introduced to many means of travel when it came to racing across the star's and multiple galaxies. In his first life, he was shown that all worlds were connected by pathway's which could only be accessed by using ships built by material called Gummi. It was during those times that he could only use those ships for his interstellar travels. To visit his friends on the other worlds and travel from world to world during the war.

But during the times of the war he had been developing faster methods of travel from planet to planet, galaxy to galaxy. Traversing the corridors of darkness was one method, but it was taxing on both the body and mind to utilize that form of travel in quick succession. There was also the other method Keyblade user's before his generation used, which was utilizing their own Keyblades as their form of travel. He learned that method from Yen Sid during the War and it came in handy to traverse not only the star's, but crossing the battlefield to reach the enemy without time wasted.

But again that method also carried it's flaws of exposing the user which is why he developed his own method. Not to say his method was perfect, far from it actually, but it was fast and bypassed the natural barriers the blockaded the worlds from one another. This form of travel utilized his own power over Light and Darkness. Utilizing the light from within the surrounding star's and the dark matter of space.

To put it simply, Instant Transmission.

The ability worked like this, anywhere Sora had ever been before was like a marker for him to imprint on his mind and if he could sense a familiar energy of one his friends/enemies or allies. Then he could instantly teleport to that location in mere seconds. It was the best means of travel for him when it came to going in alone, when it was just him or best used during the war, when infiltrating behind enemy lines.

So of course when his feet landed upon soft green grass his eyes opened to see the ever so familiar sight of Old Yen Sid's little world connected to Twilight Town. The towering structure of the man's home was welcoming sight to see after everything he'd been through.

Feeling the weight in his arms shift, he looked down to see Aqua's face buried into the fabric of coat, completely fast asleep it appeared.

Behind the shadows of his cowl Sora's expression contorted into a frown, a rueful smile appearing of his face as he looked down at the young woman in his arms. _'Of course, the ability is taxing to any newcomers and in her conditions it's only normal that she would fall asleep again. And after everything she's been through, she deserves as much as she can get.'_ Keeping her steady, Sora looked upwards to Yen Sid's castle and soon began making his way toward it. Dully noting the fact he could see three little fairies watching him from the window atop the last floor.

Once he reached the stair case Sora let out a sigh before he started to float upwards until he was at the window of the last floor, and it was there he saw three familiar looking fairies watching him from their not so obvious hiding spot. Chuckling he floated through the window, and just as his feet landed on the flooring he felt the presence of the only man he could honestly say he respected the most.

''And who might you be, young one?'' the voice of his oldest teacher made Sora smile for the briefest moment, but that was hidden from all but him. Instead he just looked over his shoulder to see the long bearded, intense black beady eyes of the one and only Master Yen Sid himself. Dressed in his sorcerer attire, he stood composed and firm, not a single weakness in his stance, and the sheer power behind the deceptively thin frame was enough to remind Sora of how powerful this man was.

Instead of answering his question, Sora turned around, Aqua in his arms, and he noticed the brief flash of shock appear in Sid's eyes just before it was masterfully hidden. But Sora saw it and knew why the old man was surprised to even see Aqua here of all places. After all, _no one_ comes back from the Realm of Darkness after giving themselves up in exchange for the life of another. At least that was the case for the norm.

But...Sora wasn't normal, that much was pretty evident. His accessibility between the Realms was a representation of how closely attuned he was with the aspects of both the Light and the Dark.

_''I will answer all of your questions, but first can you please see to Aqua's state? She's been through much and need's all the help she can get to recover from her ordeal.''_ he spoke cordially to his old/former master who eyed him for the longest time before his eyes went down to the sleeping woman in his arms. And the smallest amount pity flashed in his eyes. Taking one last glance to the cloaked time traveler he looked towards the three hiding fairies.

''Flora, Fauna, Merryweather! Go and get the guest room prepped.'' he tasked the three good fairies who suddenly sprung to life, circling the old sorcerer just before coming up the injured Aqua.

''Aww poor thing! We'll get it done in a jiffy!'' waving their wands in preparation to take Aqua to the guest room, Sora shifted his gaze down to the blue haired young woman. Feeling in his heart, the tightness of just letting her go, if even for a moment, was still painful after just pulling her out of that hell. It wasn't like he didn't trust the three fairies, because he did, it was just Aqua was just too precious to him that to even have her leave his side was something he couldn't afford to bear.

_'Still, she needs to recover and there is only so much I can do.' _with that thought in mind he shook himself of any doubts. Looking up to the fairies, he nodded to them. Getting radiant smiles from the three in turn they waves their wands and soon Aqua disappeared with three in tow.

...And the sudden loss of weight from his arms was instantly evident, and he found that he didn't quite like it. Her warmth was gone and in place of that was the cold, harsh silence of only himself. Still, he shook this feeling and pushed it down, there was something he needed to get set straight with his former mentor and it could only be done with his resolve steeled and his determination unbreakable.

Turning to said old man he looked straight at him, and he too was eyeing him with a stern and dangerous gaze that would have made any lesser of a person tremble if not run. But Sora had no reason to fear him, respect him yes, but he could not fear his old mentor. He'd seen too much, stained himself in too much death, fought with entities far more powerful then himself. His body was just immune at this point of any sort of killing intent.

After all, fighting entities that could destroy entire planets, swallow entire solar systems, enemies that broke and manipulated the very laws of reality at their beck and call. Going through all that, Yen Sid's glare was simply laughable.

Instead he simply spoke to the old sorcerer. _''Now, I believe we have much to discuss, but mind you what I have to say is for your ear's only. I can trust no one else with what I have to say, and it would be best to discuss this in an area you feel the most secure.''_ he said making Sid narrow his eyes. His eyes stayed glued on the cloaked stranger for the good moment. Taking in his presence, studying him for any sign of deceit or ill intentions, but the only thing he could sense from him was the feeling of complete courtesy and sincerity.

_'And, he shows up out of nowhere with Aqua, who I and Mickey thought was long lost in the Realm of Darkness. It was obvious he patched her up with what he knew and brought her here, he has showed not ill intentions and seems to even care for the young woman a great deal. Hm...'_ thinking it over, Sid finally closed his eyes and nodded.

''Very well, follow me to my chambers, if what you have to say is this important then that would be the most secure place to discuss whatever it is you have to say.'' and without another word the man turned around and began walking away. Without a word, Sora followed him while all the while he kept an instinctive track on Aqua's presence. His paranoia wouldn't allow him to rest at ease while she wasn't by his side.

Following Yen Sid down a series of corridor's the two we're completely silent as they reached the man's private chambers. Going through a set of large doors, Sora soaked up the sight of the familiar room where he had first met Sid with Donald and Goofy. Where he learned much after waking up from his coma Namine put him through. The same place where trained under Sid for the majority of his life and during the war.

He stopped as the doors closed behind him while Sid went behind his desk and upon sitting down he raised his gaze toward him and with a simple wave of his hand a magical barrier sprung to life within the interior of the entire chamber.

''Now then...'' Sid broke the silence as he leaned back in his chair, his gaze stead fast with the cloaked stranger standing not but a few feet from him. ''What is it you have to tell me young one? I don't usually get many visitors besides my own student so forgive my curiosity as to how you even know where I even reside.'' he said to which Sora nodded his head though to Sid it only looked like he shifted his head downward for a moment.

_''Well, how I know where you are links with what I have to say Yen Sid. To be honest there is so much I want to tell you, but there is little time for both myself and you. So instead Old Man Sid, I think it would be best if I were to show you, to reveal to you who I am and where exactly I come from...from a time far from now that no longer exists.''_ he said causing Sid's eyebrows to perk up showing his confusion. But Sora said nothing more before he walked toward Sid's desk before he brought out his hand and within the palm magical energy swirled in a majestic array of iridescent colors. The energies swirled into the shape of sphere the size of basketball. And as it solidified Sora grasped onto the sphere before turning his shadowed gaze to Sid who looked from the sphere to him with a look that expressed his bewilderment.

''This is...'' Sid muttered out just as Sora spoke.

_''Yes, this is your very own memory projection spell that you've taught to only your other pupil King Mickey. I hope this will support the evidence to who I am when you see what I have experienced. In this sphere contains my entire life up until how I got to this timeline. I knew this day would be coming and I trust you to understand the severity of the situation once you have seen it.''_

In truth, Sora could only trust Sid with this information which is why he was doing this in the first place. It wasn't like he didn't trust his friends because he did, to an extent. Yet they were still young, naive and tempermental. They would not understand and it's why he felt the only one who could assess this from a calm perspective was none other than the Old Sorcerer himself. Besides, keeping things the same as to how they were before was no longer possible seeing as how his meddling has changed the courses of his friends life's forever.

Sid kept a cool stare with the cloaked stranger who for all intents and purposes could just be making up a very convincing lie to throw him off his guard. Yet the fact this man had not only showed up with long lost student of his old friend, Eraqus, in his arms was something praise the man for.

But it was so much more than that.

Although he hadn't said a word about it, Sid had felt for the man's power and although it was well hidden even from him he could still feel the essence of his power itself. And the very nature of the power confounded him. There wasn't just an abundance of Light nor Darkness within him, but a unity of the two sides that intermixed with his own soul. A balance of both that empowered his own soul, the light was strong in him, but the darkness tempered his soul and in that Sid felt that which was thought impossible was possible.

This man, was the embodiment of both the Light and Darkness. The very notion sounded ludicrous, but the evidence was standing before him. It was long theorized between the old Keyblade Master's of old, but was never proven to be possible.

Until now..

_'Not to mention, he also knows a spell I've only just recently taught to Mickey so he can forward any findings to me during his travels. The fact he knows one of my own original spells is abnormal.' _after a moment of contemplation Sid looked toward the cloaked stranger and decided to give the man a chance. Looking at the sphere, he raised his hand and reached toward it and just as his finger tips came in contact with it he heard the man speak.

_''Now bear witness, Yen Sid, of a future that I fully intend to never come to pass a second time. A future of bloodshed, death, sorrow...a future of where I failed...and the Darkness consumed us all.''_

That was all Sid heard before his vision went white...

**OwO**

The world of Hollow Bastion was not an overly hospitable planet. What had been a once prosperous world teeming with life and citizens under the former Kingdom that had once ruled over the citizens. Was now a ruined and scarred planet, a direct result from being consumed by the Heartless. The once great Kingdom now lay in shambles, the city swallowed up by the flowing sea while the poor souls that never escaped from the cataclysm that took hold of their planet now lay at the bottom of this very sea.

And teeming at every corner of the planet was the darkness, an ever lasting ebony veil which was cast upon the planet at the apex of when it was consumed by the dark and in that veil lay the yellow sinister eyes of countless heartless. Insurmountable in number and oh so much stronger than most other heartless. From every dark corner to your own shadow, everything was a hazard to be wary of. Once taking a step on this planet you were always at every second in danger.

And this was the planet, one silver haired young woman found herself in after her own world was swallowed up by the darkness.

**Boom!**

And upon a vast frozen part of the sea a series of fiery explosions erupted causing chunks of ice and debris to explode. Series of balls of dark red fire shot toward a general area in a incredible fast volley from a group of Red Nocturne Heartless. But weaving and dodging the fireballs, a young woman with silver hair skid to a stop for a moment to catch her breath.

Sweat began dribbling down her brow as she glared the heartless infront of her. Standing front of the group of caster heartless was a mixed variety of melee Heartless ranging from 2 Large Bodies, 4 Air Soldiers, 6 Powerwilds and 4 Soldiers. Seeing them stop and begin to shake towards in her preparation for a charge made her tense.

''Time to end this!'' swinging out her hand she narrowed her eyes as the Red Nocturnes channeled their magical power to the point of their antenna's conjuring massive balls of fire. And in a flash of black and dark blue light a weapon appeared in her hand. It was a falcon-esque sword, with a red, purple and dark blue blade shaped like a demonic wing. It's handle bearing a singular cat-like blue and the handle itself having dark braids.

A black gloved hand gripped the unique blade firmly and as she readied herself, readying the coils in her muscles to spring.

And the battle continued once more as the fireballs were shot toward her in a much faster volley. Seeing them come the young woman sprung, pushing off she weaved aside from the first ball of flame before doing the same to a second. Two more came in faster and she crouched before jumping over them. Spinning upside down turned her gaze forward only to see a much bigger ball of fire hurling towards her.

Welcoming the challenge, she gripped her blade in hand and began spinning faster and faster toward the spell before lashing out.

''HAAH!'' she let out a battle cry as her blade cut straight through the fireball like it was butter and as the two pieces of the spell careened off she landed behind it before springing off again as the spell exploded behind her in a brilliant flash of fire. The burning winds pushed her forth as she charged straight into the group of heartless.

And as she came upon the first soldier her blade screamed as cut clean through it's armored body, but as the Heartless began to dissolve she merely kept attacking. Weaving around the heartless her body was nothing more than a blur as her blade cut them all down with incredible ferocity. Heartless one after another explodes into a black mist as she continued carving through them.

Her onslaught was only halted by a large dark blue fist coming to her and she jumped back in time to avoid it. But then a secondary Large Body came tumbling toward her in a attempt to ram her. Rolling aside she dodged that as well before she lashed out cutting the two large bodies in half before turning aside just in time to dodge a flying kick from an Air Soldier, barely grazing her cheek.

Wasting no time she grab the air soldier's very same foot and tossing it back into a group of more soldiers where she jumped toward them. Her icy blue eyes narrowed on them she unleashed a spin slash cutting through them all. And as she landed, the young woman looked in-between her messing silver bangs to see the remaining heartless regrouping, readying her blade in hand. The young slowly exhaled before closing her eyes causing a flash of her friends faces to appear at the forefront of her mind.

_'Kairi...Sora, I will find you and nothing will stop me!'_ steeling her resolve, the young woman opened her eyes only to reveal her icy blue orbs smoldering with a deeper fiery blue. Taking a stance a single stance she coiled her muscles for one last assault. In a single burst, the woman cut through the all, moving far faster than she had before. Cutting down all the heartless before they had time to react. She only stopped her assault as the last of the heartless were all cut down by her blade, but the remnants of the heartless was nothing more than a black mist that encompassed her before slowly fading away.

The young woman was taking the moment of reprieve to even her breathing, but as just as it was finished.

_Clap! Clap! Clap!_

''Very good! Such skill at such a young age, I am _truly_ impressed every time I see it.'' hearing the silky and smooth voice of a woman fro behind her caused the young teen to narrow her eyes before standing upright before looking over her shoulder to see who it was.

''Spying on me again, I assume?'' she questioned in a cold yet snarky tone. Her expression was indifferent, but her eyes were incredibly cold to the person behind her. Yet the person in question wasn't the least bit affected by her cold stare if anything she was amused evident to the fact the older woman merely smirked in response.

The person in question was indeed in fact a woman, much older than the young teen. She was fair and green skinned, her yellow eyes shined with a certain intent that Riku couldn't perceive. She wore a black horned headdress and a tattered black robe with a purple trim and maroon flared edges. The robe itself moved alongside her as if it were alive in of itself. Held in a single hand was a staff with a green orb at the tip.

The woman gave a smooth chuckle which didn't break her slow stride toward the young teen. ''Now, how would it be spying if I revealed myself?'' she gestured back to which Riku gave a small huff before turning her gaze forward. Looking up into the sky, her longing eyes seemed to pierce the veil of the storm that covered the planet allowing her to see the ocean of star's far beyond her.

And in those stars she could see them, if only in her own heart, the faces of her two closest friends.

''...Then why are you here, Maleficent?'' she asked only to receive another chuckle from the Sorceress.

''Why, I came because I wanted to see how you were progressing in your training. When you first arrived here, you were completely beaten down from the path you took. To travel through the darkness like you did, without fear I may add, was nothing short of amazing. But it did leave you incredibly exhausted. To see your quick recovery and ability to fight like that is simply astounding.'' she praised the young teen who simply took in her words as she continued staring aimlessly into the sky.

''But I muss say, you are incredibly powerful for your age, where did you learn to fight like that?'' the Dark Witch asked out of pure curiosity. There wasn't any other hidden motive behind this one question because she was truly impressed by Riku's prowess in battle and it made her wonder. Who taught her to fight like that? How did she become so capable at such a young age?

Riku for her part remained silent for a moment as the question made memories of her time as a child up till now began to resurface. Remembering all the fun times she had with her friends and loved ones. And of the one who was her closest and best friend, the very boy who opened her eyes to the world she saw now.

The very same young man who she...

Looking down she decided to answer the Witch. ''Since I was young, I was trained to fight like this from the very same boy I am searching for_._ His strength is beyond anything I've ever known, he taught me how to fight, how to protect myself. If it was him, he would have finished those Heartless in quarter of the time it took me. And it is because of that strength that I know he'll have escaped our world, and it is why I am searching for him alongside Kairi.'' she spoke earnestly causing Maleficent's eyes to widen at what was just said.

_'Interesting. A boy of that same age taught this girl how to fight like she does, and from what she's said he's much stronger than her? How very fascinating...'_ the Witch thought to only herself, thinking about the implications of what was just revealed to her. If the boy told to her from Riku was as strong as suggested than it would be a good idea to keep a keen eye on his whereabouts.

Which was a problem in of itself seeing as her attempts of tracking down a young brunette boy with round blue innocent eyes had bore no fruit of her extensive labor. Instead, there wasn't a trace of such a lad anywhere in the many extensive worlds she's been to and or monitored through her stronghold. It was truly as if the boy didn't exist.

''Intriguing, but nevertheless I am sure if you continue training like you are you will eventually meet him one day. After all, The Darkness only bends to the will of the strong, and you are most definitely a strong willed person. Continue like you are and you may even surpass him, who knows?~'' she said causing Riku to scowl at the Witch.

The prospect of even surpassing Sora wasn't something Riku wanted at all, the rivalry she shared with Kairi that went against Sora wasn't anything that Maleficent thought it was. It wasn't about surpassing him, the sheer notion alone was insane, it had _never_ be about such a thing. She and Kairi had known, long when they were children, that Sora was special in a sense. He had moments where he was much smarter than he appeared to be and at moments she and Kairi felt like Sora was much older than he appeared to be.

And the strength he showed was not someone their age was supposed to have. He was stronger and faster than anyone his age, he was prone to battle that was entirely certain. His hunger to get stronger was almost worrying at times when he went to such extremes to train himself that Riku worried for his safety almost every time he wasn't in her sights. She still remembered the times when he would come back from training looking he'd been mauled by a bear or fought a school of sharks.

It was because of his reckless behavior that her and Kairi worried about him to such an extent that they developed their relationship into one of making each get stronger. The rivalry she shared with Kairi wasn't about surpassing Sora, it was to get strong to stand by his side. To shoulder whatever was thrown their way and make it so whatever made Sora that way, he wouldn't have to face alone.

It was so they could be strong to fight at his side instead of being a burden, that was the one thing neither of the girls could tolerate becoming.

_'But I'll let her think whatever she wants, Kairi and I already know what we want and that is to fight at Sora's side. Not as burdens, but as people he can trust in combat. People he can rely on in the heat of the moment. Besides, he ha a responsibility for us...in more ways than one.'_ she ended her mental thought with the smallest of smiles that was hidden, even to Maleficent's eyes.

''Well, seeing as you want to continue training, how about I start teaching you some spells to add to your arsenal, hm?'' she said making Riku shake herself from her thoughts before staring at Maleficent with a look of surprise. But deciding to not look a gift in a horse's mouth she nodded causing the Witch's smile to turn downright cruel.

''Very good, then...'' reaching out with her hand a Ball of Fire swirled to life in the palm of her hand, causing Riku to stare in wonder.

That is until she saw the fireball burst to life in the witches hand causing her to take an instinctive step back from the incredibly powerful Sorceress.

Magical power brimming in her yellow eyes, Maleficent shouted in glee. ''Let's begin!''

''Oh shi-!''

And before she knew it, Riku's vision was flooded with an explosion of fire and mana.

**OwO**

Walking the halls of Hollow Bastion, Maleficent found herself recounting the events of today. Keeping the heartless in check was always a daily routine since it took her own effort to remind the massive horde that infested the world she resided in who was in charge. The Heartless listened to those with strong hearts and her's was incredibly strong. So it's why it enabled her to control the heartless, to an extent of course.

But her control was still admirable compared to those that worked under her, her control was limited, but those that worked under her among separate worlds was shackled in many aspects. Due to either a lack of faith in their own heart or strength of will to command the Heartless as she could.

But that was neither here nor there, for the Witch found herself recounting the events of today, training her new protege had been a rather...interesting experience to say the least. Once she found her potential in the Darkness, she all but decided to help the young woman get strong so she could find her friends that she lost.

But of course there would be a price to be paid, after all she wasn't the Mistress of all Evil for nothing.

…

_**''Having fun with your new toy, Witch?"**_

Suddenly, Maleficent stopped as sudden chill came down within the Grand Hall of the Bastion. Her eyes, for a moment, saw the flicker of the darkness growing thicker and more pronounced and without a missing a beat the woman let loose a smirk that expressed her false generosity. Looking over her shoulder she greeted the origin of the voice with an pep in her tone that spoke of something else entirely.

''Well well _well~_ I didn't expect you to return so soon, I assume you have finished your mission, yes?'' she asked, her yellow eyes piercing into the darkest corner of the hall where she saw a figure walking out from the darkness. There was no wasted movement in his stride, only a determination that was nigh otherworldly. It was a man by his figure, but that all that could be see as he was cloaked in a black overcoat with a hood that shadowed his face.

_**''You presume I would ever fail such a trivial task, you wound me Maleficent.''**_ the figure spoke in a tone that was both deep and foreboding. It was nothing akin to a Human's. There was power in his voice yes, but there was something far more that made a chill run down Maleficent's spine though she hid that very well.

''_Oh I would never!_ You haven't failed me once, but I wager taking over a couple of worlds could be a daunting task for only yourself. But I see you've gotten the targets.'' she said causing the cloaked stranger to only snap his fingers and a portal to the Darkness came to life beside him. And out came the unconscious forms of 5 young women each different in appearance.

Maleficent's smirk turned into a grin as she saw the women before her, ''Oh yes~ You work fast my friend. Of the Seven you have brought to me Belle, Aurora, Cinderella, and Snow White 4 of the 7 Princesses of Heart.'' she said before her eye caught onto the 5th straggler making her perk an eyebrow at the appearance of the fifth young woman at her feet. She was unconscious but had the appearance of a warrior of some sort.

''And what of this one? I don't recall asking you to bring stragglers.'' she said causing the cloaked strange to look down at their fifth prisoner.

_**''She was...apart of a world that intersected with one of the Princesses own worlds. Her duty made it so she could not allow me to pass her world unchecked. And her power was not to be questioned, this one proved to be tolerable in martial prowess and I figured to keep her imprisoned so she didn't get in our way.''**_ he said causing Maleficent to blink before looking down at the woman with a look of fleeting intrigue.

''I see, very well she'll be kept locked in the dungeons for now. She may prove useful if the time ever presents itself. But for now we have more pressing matters to attend to.'' so with a snap of finger she conjured a group of heartless to carry the pink haired young woman out of the area. And more heartless carried the other four along side Maleficent to another chamber.

Watching the proceedings, the cloaked stranger watched Maleficent vanish with the Princesses in tow and as she vanished the stranger merely looked down and began to chuckle.

_**''Continue to play your little games, Witch. You'll still end up underestimating the events that follow, as you have done so many times before. I'm more interested in this anomaly, don't you think so...'' **_he said looking to the side. Staring at a darkened corner of the Grand Hall.

_**''Ansem?''**_ he said the name as another cloaked individual, dressed in a long dirty brown cloak with two iron budded belts criss-crossing over his chest. But beneath his and the other stranger's cowl dual pairs of golden eyes peered from within the cowl of their respective hoods.

_**''Indeed...''**_

**OwO**

In Tower of Yen Sid, within the chambers of the Old Sorcerer the spell exchanged between Sora and Sid ended over half an hour ago. And since then the two were left alone in just the silence between them, Sora standing before his former master while Sid was leaned back against his chair. His composure calm and his eyes closed in deep concentration. Not a word was exchanged between the two of them since the spell ended, only the familiar atmosphere between old friends was left.

During this moment of reprieve Sora took the chance to keep track of Aqua's state and feeling her state become stable with the aid of the three fairies made relief course throughout his already tense body.

''_Sora_...'' Sid broke the silence as his eyes slowly drifted open, his beady black eyes staring straight through the cowl of Sora's hood and directly into his eyes. And slowly the smallest of smiles cracked across the old man's hardened expression.

''Take off that hood, let me see the face of my old student.'' he gestured good naturedly making Sora smile beneath the cowl of his hood and he did as ordered. Grabbing his hood he pulled it down revealing his mess of brown/blonde hair and his experienced blue eyes to his old mentor.

''So I take it you remember now, Old man Sid?'' Sora said causing Sid's smile to falter before he looked down at his hands.

''Bits and pieces are all I can remember at this moment. The most important of events I can clearly see, I remember training you and your friend Riku for the Trials. I can somewhat remember the war, but as I've said it's all bits and pieces.'' he said causing Sora to nod at this. He expected this to be entirely honest.

''I'm not surprised, it'd be impossible for anyone to relive their entire future in the span of the time I gave you. Now that you remember me, it'll all come back eventually given time.'' he said to which Sid seemed to accept with a nod before he stared at his old way ward student with a look of pride, but one of wariness.

''Yes, but I have so many questions, what happened during the War? What happened to you and the other Warriors? How did we lose? How did you...end up here?...No...a better question is...'' he stopped his questions as he stood up eyeing Sora for all he was worth as he walked around his desk, coming directly toward Sora.

_''What happened to you, Sora?''_ there was a certain tone in his voice that made Sora inwardly curse the intellect and keen awareness of his old master. That the _**one thing**_he hoped no one, especially his old master would notice.

''W-what do you mean Old Man?'' he tried to deny it but he and the Old man both knew to try and hide anything from him was impossible. And it was true as Sid's eyes narrowed on him with a look of extreme anger.

...Then it vanished and all that was left was a sense of sadness that made Sora freeze up. Sid merely raised his hand and placed his on his old protege's shoulder comfortingly.

''I see...I see now...You have endured so much, I am surprised you are still able to stay sane after everything you've had to endure. The Light and the Darkness is strong in you, but I sense...something deeper. Something...much more. Righteous yet Hollow, Bright yet Cold. Is that...is that what you lost when everything you loved was taken from you?" he spoke out causing Sora's eyes to widen in pure shock as Sid's work struck home.

''M-master...'' really that was all he could say to the man who in question for the longest time in his life offered a smile to the mentally aged and scarred time traveler.

''Let this be known between us, your sacrifice, everything you lost, all you held dear, it must have painful. You have in turn you lost something important, but I find that you will find something even greater this time around to fill in that gap in which you lost. With the love of those you cherish, and one of those people is waiting for you...'' he said and turning the stunned Sora around he pushed the young man forward causing him to stumble, but looking over his shoulder he saw Sid offering his a generous expression.

''Go to her, we can talk later, rest assured Sora.'' he said and for a moment Sora stayed looking at his old master before a small smile lit his face.

''Sure old man...sure...'' and without another word Sora raced out while Sid watched him leave and as the doors closed behind Sora. Sid's expression turned into one that could only be simplified into one thing.

**Anger.**

Such was Sid's anger his godlike control over his own magic slipped causing a nearby meteor near his world to compress before being reduced into dust.

_'Xehanort, You treacherous swine! To have turned that young boy into what he is today...I'll be sure to finish what Eraqus started long ago!.'_ thought the old Sorcerer whose anger at the man who caused all this was at all new height.

**OwO**

Upon finding the guestroom, Sora had to stop himself from ripping the doors off, instead he stopped and took a breath to calm himself and once he did he quietly opened the door. Inside he had to hold back a frown once his eyes laid on Aqua's bedridden form, seeing her state even though she was out of danger did not sit well with Sora in the slightest.

Taking a quick check that the fairies were gone he quietly closed the door behind him and took hold of a chair and put it at Aqua's bedside. And once he sat down, he grabbed her bandaged right hand in his own.

''Aqua...'' her name rolled off the tip of his tongue as he looked at the worn out woman before him. Her long unkempt blue hair was sprawled out over her pillow, her pale, almost frail body tore at Sora more than most would assume.

_''Aqua...''_ holding her hand in his own Sora leaned his forehead against her beaten knuckles and for that moment, in what felt like centuries to Sora. He allowed his scarred heart to open, causing a single tear to fall from his eye, sliding down his cheek it fell on her hand as the time traveler slumped down to Aqua.

''This time...this time I'll make sure you never get hurt again, I'll protect you all, from everyone and everything. I've lost it all once and I cannot, above all else lose you again Aqua. So please, Aqua, believe in me.'' that was all he could say as he brought her hand to his mouth. Sitting back, he held her hand and as the events began to catch up with him in the form of exhaustion he missed a light extract itself from him and travel through his hand into Aqua's.

It was brief, half of a second, but her outer body gave a faint blueish glow, but as it faded Aqua gave an unconscious smile of relief before her hand wrapped around Sora's in a gentle grip. For within the depths of her heart, her soul let out a cry to Sora's promise to her.

"_And I too, will cherish all that you are, Sora.''_

* * *

**Done! I think this was done appropriately, to settle what I have in mind this all needed to be put in place because the events of KH and KH 2 will be VERY different from how they once were. Same premise, but well...different. Yeah.**

**Riku's Training: **We never got much backstory to Riku's growth in the game when he was found by Maleficent and I decided to expand on that with this chapter. It also allowed me to expand Maleficent's personality more than what the game has shown so far. Not that she'll end up being a good guy or anything.

**Mysterious Stranger:** All I will say is he will be playing a key role so just keep tabs on him guys.

**Sora revealing himself to Sid:** Yeah I know this is gonna pop up, but I believe this was the best way for Sora to begin his intentions of changing the past. The only person he trusts with this kind of sensitive information is his own Master. And as you can see it's going to make the conversations between themselves for the next chapter very interesting.

**Sora and Aqua: **Since this is a romance fic I'm deciding to focus on that genre some more as well. Believe it or not I am a sucker for this pairing, er...well for any of my favorite pairings. So it goes without saying I'll be making the development of Sora's relationship with Aqua and the other girls more interesting experience to be sure.

**P.S. : I'll be out getting Final Fantasy Type Zero tonight, I might record the demo for Final Fantasy XV as well on twitch and possibly Youtube if it will let me.**

**With all that said, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the next one.**

**Peace!**


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